Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria 2023
£77.45
The wine
Brilliant gold with amber hues, giving dried grapes, apricot, peach and candied orange peel over aromatic Mediterranean herbs. Sweet, concentrated and long on the palate.
Ben Ryé is the great sweet wine of Pantelleria, made from Zibibbo, the Muscat of Alexandria, on an island closer to Tunisia than to Sicily. Part of the crop is picked early for freshness and part left to raisin in the sun, with the dried grapes added to the fermenting must in stages. The name is Arabic for son of the wind, which on Pantelleria is the governing fact of agriculture.
The producer
Donnafugata
View all Donnafugata winesAcross the varied landscapes of Sicily, from the western hills of Contessa Entellina to the volcanic slopes of Etna and the island of Pantelleria, Donnafugata is one of Italy most celebrated estates. Founded by the Rallo family, it blends deep tradition with a bold, artistic spirit. Few producers capture Sicily diversity so vividly.
The estate farms sustainably across a remarkable range of terroirs and native grapes. Modern, precise winemaking preserves the freshness, fruit, and volcanic minerality that define its wines. The style is expressive, characterful, and full of Mediterranean sunshine.
The range is dazzling in its breadth, from crisp Grillo and structured Nero d'Avola to Etna reds, elegant rosé, and the legendary sweet wines of Pantelleria. Each tells a story of its corner of the island.
To pour a Donnafugata wine is to taste Sicily in all its glory. Vivid, sun-filled, and endlessly varied, these are wines that bring the island to the table.
