Fragore Luxury Donnafugata

Fragore 2016 conquers for its extraordinary complexity and volcanic elegance. Donnafugata's Etna Rosso Cru is the prized fruit of the Nerello Mascalese of Contrada Montelaguardia. With a broad and deep bouquet, it has hints of spices and berries combined with mineral and balsamic notes. On the palate it reflects its bouquet and offers important tannins and a finish of remarkable persistence.

NAME: Etna Rosso DOC Contrada Montelaguardia.

GRAPES: Nerello Mascalese; a black grape variety that in this unique volcanic terroir gives life to the prestigious Etna appellation.

PRODUCTION AREA: eastern Sicily, north side of Etna, in the district of Montelaguardia in Randazzo.

TERRITORIES: altitude of 750 meters s.l.m; the composition of the sandy texture lava soil is characterized by a subacid-neutral reaction and a good organic endowment. Deep, rich in minerals, the lava soil allows a strong radical expansion.

VINEYARD: counter-espalier farming with spurred cordon pruning and a density of about 4,500 plants per hectare, and bush trained with about 6,900 plants per hectare; yield of 45 - 50 quintals per hectare.

VINTAGE: with a not very rainy autumn and winter, the 2016 vintage recorded 519 mm of rain, compared to an average * of 799 mm that characterizes the northern slope of the Volcano, between Randazzo and Passopisciaro, where Donnafugata has its own vineyards 5 different districts. The lower rainfall did not have consequences; in these sandy, volcanic soils, the root system is able to go deep to capture the necessary moisture. Summer had no excessive heat peaks; some rains at the end of August certainly helped. The maturation of the grapes was slow and regular, thanks also to the mild temperatures of many days between September and October. Excellent from a qualitative point of view, the 2016 vintage gave soft wines with intense aromas, wines of particular finesse and harmony. (* AGRICULTURAL YEAR: for Etna / Randazzo it is considered from November 1st to October 31st; PRECIPITATIONS: they are detected by the SIAS, Sicilian Agrometeorological Service, and their average is calculated in Randazzo since 2007.)

HARVEST: careful selection of grapes in the vineyard, and manual harvesting in boxes; Nerello Mascalese destined for the production of Fragore 2016 was collected between 10 and 14 October.

VINIFICATION: upon receipt in the cellar, further selection of the grapes on the vibrating table and subsequent selection of the grapes thanks to a last-generation destemmer, able to select only perfectly ripe berries, discarding the green and over-ripe ones. Fermentation in steel with maceration on the skins for 10-12 days at a temperature of 25 ° C. Aging for 14 months in French oak (second and third passage barriques) and then at least 10 months in bottle before being marketed.

ANALYTICAL DATA: alcohol 14.40% vol. - total acidity 5,7g / l - pH 3,55.

TASTING NOTES: light ruby ​​red in color, Fragore has a broad and deep bouquet with spicy hints (sweet tobacco and nutmeg) and floral (violet) followed by notes of berries (currant) that blend with balsamic and mineral nuances (Flint). On the palate it offers an extraordinary complexity and elegance characterized by marked minerality and important tannins; the finish is of considerable persistence.

LONGEVITY: over 10 years

FOOD & WINE: ideal with pulses, mushrooms and tasty meats. As a tribute to the stars and stripes cuisine, try it with turkey or barbecue ribs; among the dishes of Asian cuisine, it goes very well with Peking duck and beef and pork stews. To be served at 18 ° C.

DIALOGUE WITH ART: Donnafugata is always projected towards the future, like an object launched into space, attracted by invisible gravities. The illustrator Stefano Vitale perfectly captures this perpetual motion in the last illustration he made for the Fragore label. Donnafugata continues its journey to the most remote corners of Sicily: to the east up to Vittoria and then up to the highest point of the island, on the Etna Volcano.

FIRST VINTAGE: 2016

Bottled by the Azienda Agricola Donnafugata Srl - Marsala - Italy