Donnafugata's Ben Ryé passito wine is one of Italy's most famous dessert wines and understandably holds a place in Italy's top 100 wines. This delicious nectar is created by harvesting Zibibbo grapes (Muscat of Alexandria) that have grown on the volcanic island of Pantelleria, south of Sicily, where the temperatures are high and the winds constantly blow. The grapes are then left to dry for several weeks, these are fermented along with grapes that were harvested later. The process lasts several months and the result is a wine that has both the freshness of un-dried grapes with the intensity and complexity of grapes that have been left to concentrate.
Try it with foie gras, blue cheeses (this was one of the Quaranvino diner's favourites!) and rich chocolate such as Chuno Inteso from Truly Craft Chocolate
Something about the wine...
Awards: Gambero Rosso (3 glasses - vintage 2014), Robert Parker (95 points - vintage 2014), Wine Enthusiast (93 points - vintage 2014)
Taste: Sweet, spicy, intense, clear, harmonious
Aroma: Candied fruit, apricots, peaches, honey, figs,
Colour: Amber
Goes with: dessert, cheese
Type of wine: Dessert wine
Grape variety: 100% Zibibbo
Flavour: sweet
Drinking temperature: 7 to 13°C
Shelf life: 28 to 30 years
Alcohol content: 14.5%.
Acidity: 8,20 g/l
residual sweetness: 199,00 g/l
Lock: Natural cork
Barrique: No
Classification: DOC
capacity: 0,375 litres
Allergens: Contains sulfites
Country of origin: Italy
Region: Sicily