Premi

Sattes, tiefes Rubin. Dichte und fleischige Nase, satt nach Holunderbeeren und dunklen Ribiseln, einladend. Am Gaumen erstaunlich saftig und frisch, zeigt viel knackige Frucht, griffiges, feines Tannin, im Finale zupackend.

Born from a challenging vintage that saw too much rainfall in parts of Sicily and not enough in others, the 2011 Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé manages to keep pace with some of the best vintages that precede it. My feeling is that this is a slightly more technical wine that shows the expertise of Donnafugata’s winemaking team. By 2011, they had grown accustomed to the new winery and the newer vineyard plantings. This wine shows a bright amber color and classic passito aromas of candied fruit, honey and maple syrup.

E’ un canone polifenolico: restituisce l’isola attraverso le sue componenti. Albicocca, ma anche sale e iodio. Un best seller che è anche un modello virtuoso per una tipologia in difficoltà a causa di scellerate scelte politiche volte a favorire gli imbottigliatori.

MIGLIORI VINI D’ITALIA 2014 D’AGATA COMPARINI. Che dire, Donnafugata è una delle più grandi aziende vinicole italiane e ogni anno la collezione dei loro vini ne è la migliore dimostrazione. Se da un parte quindi vorremmo segnalarne tre o quattro dall’altra è difficile non avere nella selezione il suadente e splendido Ben Rye. Un vino sontuoso che rappresenta splendidamente la terra da dove proviene. Un colore ora antico brillante, il naso è avvolgente e ampio, albicocca passita, sentori di fichi e splendide nuance mediterranee, di macchia e di erbe. Il palato è cremoso, denso richiama la ricchezza dell’olfatto e si arricchisce del gusto dell’arancia candita e della crema. Il finale è lungo, lunghissimo nonostante la sontuosità equilibrato con una vena di mineralità che lo rendono veramente spettacolare. Come sempre da meditazione o abbinamenti particolari.

A perfect sweet wine. Smooth and rich with sweet’n’ sour apricot flavours that really linger

Bright yellow-gold color. Pungent, tangy aromas of orange peel, grapefruit, lime blossom, apricot and sweet spices on the mesmerizingly pure nose. Juicy, intense and penetrating, with razor-sharp acidity lifting and focusing the thick, concentrated grapefruit, honeyed peach, orange peel, cinnamon and ginger flavors. This shows a near-perfect sugar/acid balance, and comes across as light on its feet for such a rich, concentrated wine. The slowly building, palate-staining finish goes on and on, with repeating floral and honey notes. This is always Donnafugata’s best wine, and this vintage is one of their best ever. Readers should be aware that moscato di Alessandria is usually called zibibbo in Italy (which is also its official name, by the way). Ian D’Agata

Made with Muscat of Alexandria from the volcanic slopes of Sicily, this is dense and juicy, with liquid orange peel and honey notes plus a touch of wormwood and menthol alongside stone fruit on the palate. Match with blue cheese, chocolate, or apple pie

Sun-dried Zibibbo (Muscat d’Alexandria). Amber. Complex, layers of smoky bacon, maple syrup and nectarines. Gingery citrus tang, over pecan bass notes. Layers and layers of flavour here, rich fleshy plums, cloves, and shimmering with madeira-like acidity. Stunning. (TC)

Ripe yellow peach and orange granite notes lead the way in this expressive sweetie. Finely balanced and mouthwatering, with racy acidity and hints Earl Gray tea, smoke and biscuit accenting the fruit flavors. Builds on the finish. Drink now through 2024. A.N

Glänzendes, sattes Bernstein. Überschwängliche Nase mit vielfältigen Aromen, duftet nach getrockneten Orangenschalen, Mandarinen, Datteln und getrockneten Feigen, unterlegt mit würzigen Noten nach Ingwer. Am Gaumen rund und geschmeidig, wirkt wie aus einem Guss, zeigt Noten nach getrockneten Marillen, Feigen, auch Mandarine, sehr langer Nachhall, zum Reinbeißen!

A Sicilian oenological masterpiece, the 2011 Passito di Pantelleria Ben Rye bursts from the glass with amazing intensity and vitality. If you have even visited the rustic island of Pantelleria, those aromas of candied fruit, jasmine, almond blossom, dried sage and marine salt will prove hauntingly familiar. This is one of Italy’s most distinctive wines and it is infinitely married to a sense of place. Honey, roasted chestnuts and marzipan appear on the long creamy close. Zibibbo has a good amount of natural acidity and ultimately that’s what sets this delicious dessert wine apart. It feels opulent and luscious, but that crisp vein of zest keeps the palate refreshed. Drink 2014-2025.

Inky ruby. Deep aromas of dark berries, mocha and minerals. Multilayered and deep, with bright harmonious acidity giving focus to the dark fruit, herb and mineral elements on the long, minerally back end. This strikes me as a more refined version of Tancredi; for my taste, too many past vintages were excessively savory and herbal, with little if any of the refinement and nobility that distinguish the better Cabernet Sauvignon blends from around the world. (Ian d’Agata)