Anthilia Sicilian Doc White Wine Donnafugata 2024

White Wine Sicily Doc Anthilia  - Donnafugata

Anthìlia is the name given in Roman times to the city of Entella, founded by the Elimi who already in the third century BC. they cultivated the vine where Donnafugata is today. The dreaming girl stands out like a hill in the center of a hazy sky. Dressed only with a pearly drop in her ear, she unfolds her hair of golden rays of light to the wind. Anthìlia today is the name of a wine that identifies with the ancient territory from which it originates. It is the first wine to be conceived at Donnafugata and still remains today in the hearts of many admirers.

Straw yellow in color, the nose offers a fresh and fragrant bouquet with notes of white pulp fruit (apple) combined with hints of wildflowers. In the mouth a fruity note stands out, refreshed by a pleasant sapidity. Closes a good persistence.

PRODUCTION AREA: South-western Sicily, Contessa Entellina estate and neighboring territories.

DENOMINATION: Sicilia Doc Bianco.

GRAPES: Lucido (synonym of Cataratto), prevalent variety; the blend is completed with other native and international vines.

SOILS AND CLIMATE: altitude from 200 to 400 m a.s.l .; hilly orography; clayey soils with sub-alkaline reaction (pH from 7.5 to 7.9) rich in nutrients (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc) and total limestone from 20 to 35%). Mild winters; dry and windy summers with strong temperature variations between day and night.

VINEYARD: espalier training with spurred cordon pruning, leaving 6 to 10 buds per plant. Density of 4,500 - 6,000 plants per hectare, with yields of 80-90 quintals per hectare.

VINTAGE: Contessa Entellina recorded 615 mm of rain in the 2021 vintage, just under the 645 mm average * of this area: rainfall was concentrated in winter, particularly in February and March, while spring was been dry; in this season the delicate phases of flowering and fruit set took place regularly. At the end of June there was a slowdown in the vegetative phase of the plants, which was then compensated by the lower temperatures in July. A heat wave in the first two weeks of August accelerated ripening. The entire vegetative-production cycle was accompanied by intense and careful work in the vineyard and thus ended regularly. The quantity of grapes produced is slightly higher than in 2020 which - it must be remembered - was below the average. The quality is fully in line with the company objectives, oriented towards quality productions. * The rainfall data are collected by SIAS, Sicilian Agrometeorological Service; we consider the rainfall recorded from 1 October to 30 September of the following year; the average is calculated starting from the 2003 harvest.

HARVEST: the international varieties were harvested in August, starting from the first ten days of the month; the native varieties - including the Lucido (Catarratto) which is prevalent in the blend - were harvested from the end of August onwards and the harvest ended around mid-September.

VINIFICATION: fermentation in steel at a temperature of 14-16 ° C. Aging in tanks for two months and then at least two months in the bottle before being marketed.

ANALYTICAL DATA: alcohol 12.52% vol., Total acidity 5.90 g / l, pH 3.28.

TASTING NOTES (14/12/2021): Anthìlia 2021 has a straw yellow color. The nose offers a fresh and fragrant bouquet with notes of white pulp fruit (peach) combined with hints of wildflowers. In the mouth we find the evident fruity note, refreshed by a pleasant sapidity. In closing it has a good persistence.

LONGEVITY: to be enjoyed within 3 years.

FOOD & WINE: perfect with various appetizers, with raw and fried fish, and vegetable flans; also to try with fresh cheese and white meats. Serve it in glasses of medium size and medium height; it can be uncorked at the moment, excellent at 9-11 ° C.

COLLECTION Fresh and Original: pleasant wines with a Sicilian soul. When you want to color your day an original and pleasant way. A little daily luxury. A discovery to share with friends.

DIALOGUE WITH ART: the label is the face of a woman, as mysterious and elusive as the civilization of the Elimi, an ancient people of western Sicily who founded Entella, in the area where the Donnafugata vineyards are today. Anthìlia is the name given in Roman times to the city of Entella on top of the homonymous fortress. Anthìlia today is the name of a wine that identifies with the ancient territory from which it originates. It is the first wine to be conceived at Donnafugata and still remains today in the hearts of many admirers.