Com_St_2010_07_01_ContessaEntellina_ENG.pdf
Donnafugata triples its efforts, to the delight of visitors to Sicily exploring its wine & food treasures. In addition to being able to tour its historic Marsala cellars and Pantelleria winery, starting this summer, lovers of fine wine can also visit Donnafugata’s Contessa Entellina estate.
In the heart of western Sicily, in what is known as the land of the Leopard for having inspired Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s famous novel, the Donnafugata estate is only 37 miles from Palermo and lies near extraordinary archeological sites like Segesta, Agrigento and Selinunte.
Here visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the vineyards and cellars to deepen their knowledge of the winery, its philosophy and the secrets of its whole production process. And then a tasting to sample some of the icon wines of Italian enology, born right in this territory, such as the whites Vigna di Gabri and Chiarandà and reds like Tancredi and Mille e una Notte. In addition, groups can be offered wine & food pairings enhancing the flavors of typical Belice Valley products.
Donnafugata has been developing wine tourism for many years and attracts record-setting numbers of visitors: more than 9,000 in 2009, 23% of which were foreigners from 50 different countries. Opening Contessa Entellina to the public adds another important piece to a project aspiring to offer a unique experience through visitor-tailored tours.
Owner José Rallo says: “With our vineyards, winery and family home, Contessa Entellina is a fundamental part of the Donnafugata world. Opening it to the public during the summer provides greater knowledge of the territory and its wines. Because of its natural geographical positioning, the Donnafugata estate is a crossroads for fascinating itineraries running from the interior to the sea and embracing archeology, history, nature and culture”.
Contessa Entellina is located at km 60 on the Palermo-Sciacca state road 624: tours are available from Tuesday through Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m., making reservations in advance: cell-phone + 39 340 0894945; [email protected].
Furthermore an event not to miss is Calici di Stelle (“Goblets of Stars”), the great fete traditionally held on August 10, the Night of San Lorenzo. On this date the Donnafugata estate will be open for a special moonlit evening of tours and tastings to discover the excellence of Sicilian wine.
The Contessa Entellina estate is part of the Terre Sicane Wine Road (www.stradadelvinoterresicane.it) belonging to the European cultural itinerary Iter Vitis – Les chemins de la vigne.
Public Relations:
Baldo M. Palermo [email protected] tel. 0039 0923 7242267
Laura Ellwanger [email protected] te. 0039 0923 724258
