A host of recognitions for the Passito of Donnafugata.

Perfect wine at VitignoItalia and two new gold medals at the Selezione del Sindaco and the Vinalies Internationales.

Marsala, May 22, 2007.  A golden month of May for Donnafugata’s Ben Ryè 2005. Yesterday, in the framework of the Vitignoitalia Fair, dedicated to wines made from native varieties, Donnafugata’s Passito of Pantelleria added to its huge stock of awards the title of Vino Perfetto (perfect wine).

A tasting committee consisting of members of the Italian Sommeliers Association (AIS) and a panel of visitors to the event handed down the verdict. In particular, after the sommeliers made an initial selection of the best wines of the categories of white, red and sweet versions, the wine lovers of the “popular” jury chose the perfect wines for 2007.

The floodlights had hardly dimmed at VitignoItalia when Ben Ryé scored yet again, winning a gold medal in the wine challenge Selezione del Sindaco. The mayors of the communities enrolled in the Wine Towns organization, selected more than 400 wines for presentation in the competition. That figure represented a big increase in the number of labels participating in this prestigious contest.

The ceremony for the presentation of the awards will be staged July 16 in the impressive Hall of the Protomoteca on the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) in Rome.

But that was not all. At the Vinalies Internationales 2007 in Paris, Ben Ryè received the largest number of points in its class and, as a result, received a gold medal in this historic international wine competition.

In short, it is a wine that confirms, year after year, an excellent standard of quality of great technical significance and that has also had the strength to enter into the hearts of so many Italian and foreign wine aficionados.

“Pantelleria is the island of marvels for all of us at Donnafugata,” said Antonio Rallo. “For about 20 years, we have been involved in a production policy focused on the recovery of the Pantelleria vineyard and on the expression of the extraordinary potential of its principal variety, Zibibbo, to yield wines with great personalities and elegance.

Baldo M. Palermo [email protected]  phone +39 0923 724226

Laura Ellwanger: [email protected] phone. +39 0923 724258

Nando Calaciura [email protected]  mob. +39 338 3229837