Fireside with the mountains behind you… a bottle of delicious Sicilian red created by dynamic women (and the men in their lives too). This is aprés at its finest. Following a few days of skiing and a stock up session at the one and only wine shop (state liquor store) in Salt Lake City, we turned on the fire pit at our hosts’ house and sipped some vino together, recapping the day.
If you’ve followed us closely (or have a super awesome memory when it comes to wine), you may recall a Donnafugata white we highlighted in November as a great wine for catching up with friends. When we spotted a red with the same name and similarly artistic label, we knew it would be perfect for our fire pit hangout!
La Bella Sedara ($23) is an easy drinking wine of Nero D’Avola with cherry flavors and soft tannins. We loved sipping this as the sun set over the mountains and we waited on our takeout Thai food to arrive.
In 1983, Giacomo Rallo, a fourth generation winemaker, founded Donnafugata with his wife Gabriella, a pioneer of viticulture in Sicily. Today, their daughter José and son Antonio lead the company. José Rallo also has great love for music and singing and has guided live audiences through a multi-sensorial experience combining different wines and jazz tracks. A woman after our own hearts!
The name Donnafugata, a twist on the phrase, “donna in fuga,” which means “fleeing woman,” refers to the story of a queen who found refuge in the part of Sicily where the company’s vineyards are located today. This same adventure inspired the corporate logo: the image of a woman’s head with windblown hair that dominates every bottle.
Let’s just say we identify strongly with an adventurous woman with windblown hair!
Witty Pairs 