Ben Ryé 375ml Passito di Pantelleria Doc 2023 Donnafugata

Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria Doc Donnafugata from Zibibbo grapes (Moscato di Alessandria) in the island of Pantelleria. - Bottle of 375 ml

Ben Ryé 2020 offers an extraordinary rich bouquet with outstanding aromas obtained from the dried grapes: apricots and candied orange peel. It presents delicate hints of Mediterranean macchia. The palate is very fresh and intense, balancing perfectly the sweetness followed by a long and satisfying persistence.

DATA SHEET

PRODUCTION AREA: island of Pantelleria (south-western Sicily); districts: Khamma, Tracino, Mueggen, Serraglia, Gibbiuna, Barone, Martingana, Bukkuram, Favarotta, Punta Karace, Bugeber, Karuscia.

DENOMINATION: Passito di Pantelleria Doc.

GRAPES: Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria).

SOILS AND CLIMATE: altitude from 20 to 400 m s.l.m; Orography: complex, typically volcanic, with land cultivated mainly on terraces. Soils: sandy of lava origin with subacid or neutral reaction; deep and fertile, well endowed with minerals. Pantelleria is the island of sun and wind with mild winters with little rain, dry and windy summers.

VINEYARD: the vines are cultivated, inside hollows, with low pantesco sapling. The sapling vine of Pantelleria has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a "creative and sustainable" practice. Plant density of 2,500 plants per hectare with a yield of about 40-50 quintals per hectare. The average age of the vines is around 60 years. Some free foot plants, which have survived the phylloxera, are over 100 years old.

VINTAGE: in Pantelleria where Donnafugata cultivates 68 hectares of vineyards located in 14 different districts, that of 2020 was a slightly less rainy year, recording 433 mm of rain compared to the average of 462 mm *. The quantity produced is in line with the average Donnafugata production on the island; the quality of the grapes brought to the cellar is excellent. The wines of the 2020 vintage stand out for their aromatic intensity and excellent freshness. * We consider the rainfall recorded from 1 October to 30 September of the following year; the average is calculated starting from the 2013 harvest.

HARVEST: manual harvesting in crates with careful selection of the grapes in the vineyard. The harvest of the Zibibbo in Donnafugata traditionally lasts for about 4 weeks, in the districts that differ in altitude, exposure, proximity or distance from the sea; the harvest began on August 17th and ended on September 9th.

VINIFICATION: upon receipt in the cellar, further selection of the grapes on the vibrating table before soft pressing. Fermentation in steel at a controlled temperature; hand-picked and selected raisins are added to the fermenting must on several occasions. During maceration, the raisins release their extraordinary heritage of sweetness, freshness and a very personal aroma. The winemaking process (fermentation and maceration) lasts over a month. Aging: in tanks for 8 months and at least 12 months in the bottle before being marketed.

ANALYTICAL DATA: alcohol 14.27% vol., Total acidity 7.5 g / l., PH: 3.88, residual sugars: 192 g / l.

TASTING NOTES (24/01/2022): Ben Ryé 2020 has a golden color with bright amber reflections. With a very intense bouquet that ranges from fruity notes of apricot and candied orange peel, to hints of Mediterranean scrub. In the mouth the fruity notes and hints of aromatic herbs are found, combined with sweet nuances of honey. Intense and persistent, with an extraordinary balance between freshness and sweetness, Ben Ryè is a bewitching Passito di Pantelleria, one of the most popular sweet wines in the world.

LONGEVITY: over 20 years.

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FOOD & WINE: perfect with dry pastries, chocolate and pies with jam or ricotta. Also try with blue cheeses and foie gras. Extraordinary on its own, as a meditation wine. Serve it in medium-sized goblets, with a slight flare, it can be uncorked at the moment. Excellent at 14 ° C.

DIALOGUE WITH ART: from the Arabic "Son of the wind" because the wind that blows between the grapes is a constant in Pantelleria. And the wind from the island brings with it a load of scents so intense that you can touch them. The author's label celebrates the love, care and effort of heroic viticulture on a unique and fascinating island. A sweet and enveloping portrait that reveals its essence.

FIRST VINTAGE: 1989.