About
Donnafugata Winery is one of Italy’s finest wineries and praised by wine critics and wine lovers alike all over the globe. Located in Sicily, Donnafugata has various estates including the historic cellar in Marsala, the beautiful Contessa Entellina country house and vineyards in the western interior of the island, and another winery and estate in the windswept island of Pantelleria off Sicily’s southwest coast. The Rallo family who owns Donnafugata have been in the wine business for over a century and the current generation is extremely dynamic and visionary. The Donnafugata brand was born in the early 1980s by Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo in the family’s historic cellars and today their children José and Antonio play prominent roles in the company.
The vineyards are at an altitude from 200 to 600m. (656- 1,312 ft); located on hilly clay loam soils with a sub-alkaline reaction (pH 7.5 to 7.9) rich in nutritive elements (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc) and limestone content from 20 to 35%. Mild winters with little rainfall. Warm, dry, ventilated summers. Substantial difference between day and nighttime temperatures. The vineyards are VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) trained with spurred cordon pruning, leaving 6 to 10 buds per plant. Planting density of about 5,000 plants per hectare, with yields of 7.5 – 8.5 tons/ha (3.0 – 3.4 tons/acres).
In stainless steel with maceration on the skins for about 6-8 days at a temperature of 24-25 °C (75- 79°F). After malolactic fermentation, the wine fines for about 4 months in tanks and then for at least 3 months in the bottle.
Donnafugata Sherazade Nero d’Avola has a brilliant ruby red color with violet reflections. The nose offers a pleasantly fruity bouquet with fragrant notes of red plum and sour cherry, combined with light spicy scents. The palate is fleshy and perfectly reflects the bouquet revealing an extraordinary freshness. The well-integrated tannin, completes this fragrant and pleasant wine. We suggest it with fish soup, pizza or classic tomato spaghetti.