Donnafugata: A Sicilian Story of Wind, Sun and Sea

Sunset over the sea in Pantelleria – photo by Alessia Pavese, Pexels

Donnafugata is one of Sicily's best-known wine houses. Its name means "fleeing woman", its label shows a woman with windblown hair, and its wines range from fresh whites to the famous sweet Ben Ryé of Pantelleria. Behind it stands the Rallo family, who have been making wine in western Sicily for generations.

A name from a novel

The name comes from The Leopard (Il Gattopardo), the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. In the book, Donnafugata is a fictional place, inspired by a real one near Contessa Entellina in western Sicily. The estate says the name also recalls Queen Maria Carolina, who took refuge in this area.

According to Monte Cristo magazine, Giacomo Rallo was not convinced at first. His wife Gabriella designed the label and he eventually came round. The woman's head, hair blown by the wind, now appears on every bottle.

From Marsala to a new vision

The family's historic cellars in Marsala date back to 1851. For many years the business centred on Marsala, the fortified wine of western Sicily. Giacomo Rallo, a fourth-generation winemaker, saw that tastes were changing and that demand for sweet, oxidative wines was falling.

Gabriella received a farm at Contessa Entellina from her father in 1974. Earthquakes had already destroyed its buildings and the road to it in 1968. After about ten years of learning viticulture, she and Giacomo launched Donnafugata in 1983. It was a bold bet on quality table wines from Sicily, at a time when the island was best known for bulk wine.

Three places, three characters

Contessa Entellina: the inland estate, about 270 hectares according to Monte Cristo magazine. Its villa appears on the labels of reds such as Tancredi and Sedàra.
Marsala: the historic winery, where the white wines are made and the barrel cellar sits.
Pantelleria: a windswept volcanic island closer to Africa than to Sicily. The company bought its first vineyard there in 1989 to make Passito di Pantelleria. The Zibibbo vines grow low, in shallow hollows dug into the soil, to protect them from the wind.

In 2016 the family added two more regions, Etna and Vittoria, which brought the volcano's mineral reds and rosato into the range.

A family business

Giacomo died in May 2016. His children, José and Antonio Rallo, joined the company in 1990 and now serve as co-CEOs. José looks after management and communications, while Antonio is winemaker and viticulturist. A sixth-generation member, Gabriella Favara, joined in 2022.

Ben Ryé, the island's golden wine

The best-known Pantelleria wine is Ben Ryé, a sweet passito made from Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) that has been dried to concentrate its sugars. Expect apricot, honey and orange peel, balanced by freshness. Serve it chilled with blue cheese, almond pastries or simply on its own after dinner.

Where to start

If you are new to Donnafugata, try the Etna rosato Sul Vulcano as a bright, mineral summer wine. Then move on to a Nero d'Avola red such as Sherazade for a friendly Sicilian red with grilled meat or pasta. And keep a half-bottle of Ben Ryé for special occasions.