We cultivate our vineyards in very different contexts to enhance the extraordinary potential of the island.
From the lands overlooking the sea to those that are hilly, up to the mountainous ones.
Sicily can boast over 70 native varieties and a multitude of extraordinary climates.
In our vineyards, we are focus on these diversities by combining the terroir and the grape varieties: from the Contessa Entellina estate in the western Sicily and the volcanic island of Pantelleria, up to the eastern side of Vittoria (Acate) and Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe.
The vinification and the aging process
Hectares of vineyards at the Contessa Entellina, Pantelleria, Vittoria and Etna estates
Districts, each one with unique characteristics
Autochthon varieties in production
We are committed to the protection of biodiversity through the enhancement of the local varieties which are capable of representing an authentic and innovative Sicily
In 2009, in Contessa Entellina we planted an experimental field with 19 different local varieties, for a total of 30 biotypes; a choice that allowed us to cultivate Nocera, a relic variety that today completes the blend of some of our wines.
In 2010 at Pantelleria, we planted 33 biotypes of Zibibbo, coming from different areas of the Mediterranean with the aim of identifying those clones that best express the viticultural and enological potential in the context of the island of Pantelleria
Our story begins on the hills of Contessa Entellina
The name Donnafugata, chosen by Gabriella and inspired by the novel Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) by Tomasi di Lampedusa, means “woman on the run” and refers to the story of Queen Maria Carolina, wife of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who found refuge at Contessa Entellina, where the company vineyards are. A literary territory where our adventure begins: it was, in fact, the writer himself who indicated the possessions of the prince of Salina with the name Donnafugata
A name that reveals a story
Donnafugata is not only our name but also the story of Gabriella, the founder of the company together with her husband Giacomo. A story that inspired our logo: the face of a woman with her hair blowing in the wind, the same face as Gabriella’s, the “woman on the run” who chose to devote herself to the world of wine, becoming a pioneer of the quality and feminine viticulture.
