Donnafugata : Contrada Marchesa 2019

The elegance and balance of an Etna red wine by Donnafugata

The estate

Founded in 1983, the name of the Donnafugata estate, "fleeing woman" in Italian, recalls the exile of Queen Maria Carolina of Naples at the home of a local prince, as Napoleon seized the city.
Giacomo Rallo, the founder of this estate in north-west Sicily, is the fourth generation of the family which, since 1851, has produced wine renowned for its great quality.
Spread across five different sites, the Donnafugata estate takes its individuality from its many various terroirs, which confer into each wine a unique style reflecting the richness of the Sicilian soil.

The vineyard

Contrada Marchesa 2019 from Donnafugata is an Etna wine stemming from a two-hectare plot on the north side of Etna, in eastern Sicily. The Contrada Marchesa vineyard, embedded in a natural amphitheatre made up of thousand-year-old lava flows at 750 metre altitude.

The wine

The label for this wine, created by Stefano Vitale, shows a volcanic goddess with an aristocratic face, bedecked with jewels, flowers and fruit, symbolising the prestige of Sicily, a region full of charm and mystery. The medieval village of Castiglione di Sicilia and its vineyards covered in ash appear at the bottom of the label.

Winemaking and ageing

Harvested by hand and sorted in the middle of the vineyard, the grapes were sent to be vatted in baskets to preserve the integrity of the fruit. Fermentation in steel vats was followed by must fermentation for a period of 10 to 12 days.
Ageing took place in French oak casks (of two and three wines) over 14 months, followed by an additional ageing in the bottle for 18 months before going on the market.

Blend

Nerello mascalese (100%)

Characteristics and tasting tips for Contrada Marchesa 2019 from Donnafugata

Tasting

Colour
The colour is a light ruby red.

Nose
The nose gives raspberry and cherry notes which mingle with aromatic herb scents (rosemary and thyme). It also releases balsamic and spice (cinnamon) touches with just a hint of brush.

Palate
With a remarkable elegance and balance, the palate charms with its finesse and tannic structure.

Food and wine pairings

Contrada Marchesa 2019 from Donnafugata goes marvellously with a risotto, a meat dish, game or lightly spiced vegetable soups.

To serve

For the best tasting, serve at 18°C.

Storage

This Sicilian red wine can be laid down until 2029 to release the full effect of its aromatic richness.