Ben Ryé… named the best dessert wine of Italy

And rightly so! Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria (0.375-liter half bottles) is a delight to drink. Just a sip is enough for a taste explosion in your mouth. Refined, complex, luscious. This is truly pure enjoyment! The name Ben Ryé comes from the beautiful Arabic “Son of the Wind”. The grapes for this wine therefore come from the volcanic island of Pantelleria, where the strong winds constantly blow around the vines and grape clusters. The label reflects the love and dedication of the people to winemaking in the challenging conditions of this unique island. The Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria displays that characteristic polished copper color that, if you are a Ben Ryé fan like us, you can recognize from miles away. It is one of Italy’s absolute A-list dessert wines.

Fruit from Alberello Pantesco/Zibibbo vines planted in volcanic soils is dried under the island's hot sun. The constant sea breeze does the rest. The aromas are also specific to this wine. Fresh apricot and orange zest combined with sweet honey, candied almonds, brown sugar, and sun-dried figs. It is also very fresh in terms of acidity. Very expressive to the senses and concentrated in terms of texture. The Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria is ideal as a dessert wine with sweet dishes such as notentaart, verse fruit taarten, chocolade, maar ook met een mooie blauwe kaas. Een plakje gebakken diervriendelijke Foie Gras is er briljant bij!

Ben Ryé is one of the so-called Icon Wines of Donnafugata.

Robert Parker: 96/100 points and beautiful words! 

“Rather than pair this wine with a Sicilian dessert, serve it as the Sicilian dessert. The 2016 Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé is a radiant and beautifully fragrant edition with white raisins, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, caramel, preserved lemon, dried sage, apricot and sea salt. I could go on. The wine is light on its feet thanks to that crisp acidity, yet it has the volume and richness to coat your palate in all its luscious glory. The whole package is explosive”.

Antonio Rallo, winemaker at the family business Donnafugata, says: “We are pleased to see that Ben Ryé has been awarded as a symbol of Italian excellence in the world. Awards like this make up for all the sacrifices made by the viticulture of Pantelleria, where the cultivation of vines belonging to UNESCO World Heritage makes the island's landscape unique. Donnafugata Ben Ryé has an aging potential of about 30 years!”

Special production process

A first, partial harvest takes place in August. The grapes are harvested by hand and undergo a thorough selection immediately in the vineyard. When the grapes arrive at the winery, they are cleaned and selected again to remove damaged and unripe grapes. The grapes are then dried outdoors in the sun for a period of 3-4 weeks. During this process, the moisture in the grapes evaporates, resulting in a higher concentration of sugars and aromas.

The second harvest takes place in September; juice is pressed and fermented from these fresh grapes. This is done in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and fruit aromas. During this fermentation, the dried grapes are added in several stages. These add extra sugars, candied and complex aromas, colorants, and freshness to the must. This fermentation also takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Aging takes place in stainless steel tanks for 7 months. After that, they spend at least another 12 months in the bottle before going on sale.