Donnafugata : Fragore Contrada Montelaguardia 2019

The complexity and roundness 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

Fragore Contrada Montelaguardia 2019 is a wine from Etna developed from a vineyard of four hectares, on the north side of the island, in the heart of the Montelaguardia Contrada vineyard in Randazzo. This vineyard, at an altitude, is characterised as much by the climate, drier than those on the other sides of the volcano, as the differences in temperatures between the day and nuit during the summer season. This terroir, at 730 metres of altitude, keeps the singularity of its soil, made up of sand-textured lava. Profound and mineral-rich, it advances deep-rooting.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage in Sicily was cool and with a normal quota of rain. On this side of the volcano, the month of September was mostly dry, which helped the ripening of the grapes and a good harvest.

The wine

The label for this wine, created by illustrator Stefano Vitale, represents the constant movement of the earth and the eruptions of the volcano.

Winemaking and ageing

Harvested by hand, the grapes were rigorously selected on the vines and in the cellar, before fermentation in a stainless steel vat with must fermentation over 10 to 12 days. The 14 months of ageing in French oak casks of two and three wines was finished with an additional ageing of 18 months in the bottle before going on the market.

Blend

Nerello mascalese

Characteristics and tasting tips for Fragore Contrada Montelaguardia 2019 from Donnafugata

Tasting

Colour
The wine has a beautiful ruby hue.

Nose
Round and profound, the aromatic bouquet gives notes of wild blackberry and undergrowth, mingled with balsamic and mineral touches and a hint of tobacco.

Palate
An authentic expression of its volcanic terroir, the palate unveils with complexity a lovely tannic structure, along with a remarkable longevity.

Storage

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

To serve

For the best tasting, serve at 18°C.

Food and wine pairing

Fragore Contrada Montelaguardia 2019 from Donnafugata goes perfectly with mushrooms, legumes or meats (turkey, Peking duck, slow-cooked beef stew).