Donnafugata "Mille e una Notte" Sicilia DOC 2020
(Sicily, Italy) - [VM 94] [JS 93]

About the Wine:
DIALOGUE WITH ART: The palace shown on the label is the one where Queen Maria Carolina took refuge fleeing from Naples and was the favorite house of the writer Tomasi di Lampedusa in Santa Margherita Belice. Gabriella Anca Rallo – founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo – captures the image and embeds it into the sky from Arabian Nights, full of stars and full of promise. A tribute to the passionate masterpiece of oriental literature, capable of telling a thousand and one stories.

Vineyard Notes:
Production Zone: South-western Sicily, Contessa Entellina Estate and nearby areas.
Soils & Climate: Altitude from 200 to 400 meters a.s.l. (656-1,312 ft); hilly orography; 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 total limestone from 20 to 35%. Mild winters with little rainfall. Warm, dry, ventilated summers. Substantial differences between day and night-time temperatures.
Vineyard: VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) training with spurred cordon pruning g, leaving 6 to 8 buds per plant. Planting density of 4,500 to 6,000 plants per hectare (1,800-2,400 an acre) and yields of about 4-5 tons per hectare (1.6-2 tons an acre).

Winemaking Notes:
Fermentation in stainless steel with maceration on the skins for about 14 days at a temperature of 28-30° C. Aging for 14 months in oak and at least 26 months in bottle before release.

Tasting Notes:
With an intense ruby red color, Mille e Una Notte 2020 presents a complex bouquet characterized by notes of blackberries and current, fresh balsamic hints, spicy scents of black pepper, and delicate nuances of sweet toasting. On the palate, it is wide with velvety tannins. It ends with notable persistence and captivating sapidity.

Technical Info:
Denomination: Sicilia Doc Rosso
Grapes: Nero d'Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah and other grapes
Alcohol: 13.48% vol.
Total Acidity: 5.4 g/l.
pH: 3.69

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2020 Mille e Una Notte opens with a basket of berries and spices, further complicated by shavings of cedar and minty herbs. It's silky yet sincere, with tart wild berry fruits and licorice underscored by saline minerals as a balsamic resonance forms toward the close. The 2020 finishes structured and long. Fine-tannins saturate the senses as savory herbs and hints of tart blackberry fade. Bury this deep in the cellar. (Drink between 2030-2042)." - Eric Guido (Jul 2024)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"A dark and complex wine with aromas of dark fruit, dark chocolate, licorice and smoke. Full-bodied, it shows density and firm, velvety tannins, with refreshing acidity and a savory finish focused on graphite flavors. It has potential for aging, yet is good to drink now."  (Mar 2025)