Since 1989 Profilo Donna has been annually honoring 10 women of distinction in their fields. In the 2011 edition one of the award winners was José Rallo, co-owner of Donnafugata and the voice and visage of the Sicilian winery.

A gala evening for these 10 talented women was held on Saturday, November 26, in Modena at the prestigious Teatro Storchi, with a ceremony conferring the Profilo Donna Awards 2011. A special edition that also featured a conference on women’s liberation for the 150^th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, with a speech by a very special guest indeed: Anita Garibaldi.

On receiving the award from Anita Garibaldi, Sicilian businesswoman José Rallo said: “I can proudly say that mine is a family of Garibaldi supporters. When his troops disembarked in Marsala, Garibaldi contacted the founder of our family winery for a load of wine, and the forebears of my mother and my husband, mayors of Marsala and Mazara, backed Garibaldi financially. I tell this bit of history to emphasize the fact that an openness to change is in the genes of my family and still guides our work as producers of premium wines”.

José Rallo also talked about her role as manager of the family winery, Donnafugata, which – thanks to a heavy presence of women – is an example of innovative, vanguard capability in the field of Sicilian and Italian wine.

Finally, a tribute to Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria, Donnafugata’s icon wine and a favorite of wine-lovers and Italian and international wine critics. “It’s a product that in a certain sense is a synthesis of Donnafugata’s most heartfelt values: a love for nature and for work and great care for details”.

Nine other women also received awards at the gala evening, having distinguished themselves in a variety of fields: from science to social commitment, business and international organizations. The mayor of Modena, Giorgio Pighi, gave the “Special City of Modena Profilo Donna Award 2011” to Alessandra Bignardi, university professor in Roman law and Dean of the Modena Law School. The other women honored this year included Geri Benoit, Haitian Ambassadress to Italy; Isabella Bruno Tolomei Frigerio, President of the Ferfina Group S.p.A.; Evelina Christellin, President of the Fondazione Teatro Stabile of Turin; Simonetta Di Pippo, Special Advisor to and General Director of the European Space Agency.

Public Relations:

Baldo M. Palermo [email protected] tel. 0039 0923 7242267

Laura Ellwanger [email protected] te. 0039 0923 724258

José Rallo wins the International Profilo Donna Award 2011

Since 1989 Profilo Donna has been annually honoring 10 women of distinction in their fields. In the 2011 edition one of the award winners was José Rallo, co-owner of Donnafugata and the voice and visage of the Sicilian winery.