Donnafugata "Mille e una Notte" Sicilia DOC 2021
(Sicily, Italy) - [FS 95] [VM 94+] [DM 92] [WS 90]

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:
The aging took place for 12 months in new French oak barriques.
The barriques used were selected from the best tonnellerie, with fine and extra-fine grain and a medium-toasting level. The wine was then aged for nearly 2 years in bottle.

Tasting Notes:
Intense ruby red in colour, Mille e Una Notte 2021   presents a broad bouquet characterized by fruity notes of black mulberries and plum, spicy notes of black pepper and liquorice; it stands out for the delicate hints of mint, and nuances ofcocoa buns. In the mouth it is deep and with velvety tannins; It closes with gustatory persistence.

Technical Info:
Denomination: Sicilia DOC Rosso
Grapes: Nero d'Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah
Alcohol: 14% vol.
Total Acidity: 5.2 g/l.
pH: 3.66

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Falstaff:
Bright, intense ruby with purple. Fragrant nose, with hints of sweet precious wood, dark chocolate, sweet spices and cranberries, multi-layered. Powerful on the palate, with noticeable use of wood, shows creamy, polished tannins, dark berry aromas, currently still somewhat brittle on the finish due to the wood overhang.

94+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Mille e Una Notte is dark and brooding, smoldering up with a beguiling bouquet of dusty sage and cedar shavings, enhanced by nuances of menthol and cocoa before giving way to blackcurrant. Savory to the core, it offers velvety textures lifted by brisk acidity as a mass of red fruit saturates the senses. The 2021 grips the palate with youthful tension and finishes with a wall of tannins nicely contrasted by a tinge of citrus and licorice. This powerful rendition of Mille e Una Notte will require extreme patience." - Eric Guido (Jul 2025)

92 Points - Decanter Magazine: 
"Bold, dark, ripe and minty, the 2021 of this label is drinking really well. Fine-grained, relaxed tannins frame a mid-weight palate full of vibrant red and black berries. Time in the bottle may yield more complexity, but it's arguably more appealing for its gutsy fruit-driven youth." - James Button (May 2025)

90 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A rich red, this leads with toasty smoke, mocha and licorice notes, accents to flavors of black currant, olive tapenade, bay leaf and dried dill. The muscular tannins are well-knit but lend a compact feel today that suggests decanting or short-term cellaring. Nero d'Avola, Petit Verdot and Syrah. Best from 2028 through 2038. 7,900 cases made, 200 cases imported." – Alison Napjus (Apr 2026)