2020 Donnafugata Limited Edition Dolce & Gabbana ‘Tancredi’ Terre Sicilia In Presentation Box

Product Description

The Rallo family has made wine in Marsala since 1851 and their ancient cellars tunnel beneath the city. They were one of the first families to begin making high-quality table wine when sales of traditional Marsala started to decline, launching the Donnafugata label in 1983 and championing the potential of the region’s native varieties.

Today, Donnafugata has four estates in Sicily: a modern winery and 322 hectares at Contessa Entellina in the hills east of Marsala, 42 hectares in Vittoria towards the south-eastern point of the island, 68 hectares on the island of Pantelleria, and 35 hectares on the slopes of Etna. Donnafugata means ‘fleeing woman’ and refers to Queen Maria Carolina, who escaped the court of Naples in the early 19th century with her husband, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, when Napoleon’s troops arrived. The couple took refuge in Sicily at the Santa Margherita Belice palace, the favourite residence of celebrated writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, which is depicted on the ‘Mille e Una Notte’ label.

Tancredi Dolce&Gabbana and Donnafugata was born in the vineyards located on the Contessa Entellina estate, in the heart of south-western Sicily. The name Tancredi evokes one of the protagonists of The Leopard, an inexhaustible source of inspiration also for Dolce&Gabbana; in the novel and in the film of the same name, Tancredi is the favorite nephew of the prince of Salina, precisely because of his charm and his ability to adapt to changes.

It is mainly produced with Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d’Avola grapes, harvested and selected only by hand. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, with maceration on the skins, at a controlled temperature of 28-30°C for 14 days. Subsequently the wine ages in oak barrels for about 12 months and for another 24 months in the bottle, before being released to the market.