Ben Ryé, Donnafugata

BEN RYE'

D.O.P.

Type

natural sweet white - Passito di Pantelleria D.O.P.

Grapes

Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria)

PRODUCTION AREA

Location

island of Pantelleria (South-western Sicily); districts: Khamma, Mulini, Mueggen, Serraglia, Gibbiuna, Barone, Martingana, Bukkuram, Favarotta, Punta Karace, Begeber

Altitude

20 to 400 m AMSL

Orography

terraced slopes

Soils

sandy, originating from lava, they vary between sub-acidic and neutral reaction; deep, fertile soils, well-endowed with minerals

VINEYARD

Training and pruning

the vines are cultivated by hand, each planted in a basin and trained in a low, horizontal, broad bush system with 2 to 4 arms. Age of vines up to 100 years

Planting densities

2,500 to 3,600 plants per hectare (1,011-1,455 an acre)

Yield per hectare

about 4 tons (1.6 tons an acre)

Vintage

during autumn and winter rainfall exceeded on average. In spring we registered a slight delay in both the emerging of the shoots and flower initiation. During summer the temperatures were a bit higher than average, while maintaining good temperature ranges thus contributing to enhance the aromatic quality of Zibibbo

CELLAR

Fermentation

in stainless steel at controlled temperatures; the dried grapes – added to the fresh must in several batches – are de-stemmed and selected by hand and. During maceration, the dried grapes release their extraordinary legacy of sweetness, freshness and a very personal aroma

Aging

in stainless steel for 4-5 months and at least 18 months in bottle before being released to the market

Analysis data

alcohol 14.36% ABV, total acidity 7.5 g/l, pH 3.83, sugar content: 201 g/l

TASTING NOTES

Description

a particularly positive vintage producing grapes of an exceptional quality entirely appreciable in this Ben Ryé 2009. The color is bright golden with amber glints; to the nose it shows notes of apricot, fig, date, candied citrus and Mediterranean maquis. In the mouth its sweetness is perfectly balanced by freshness and minerality. Very long aromatic persistence. A wine of great complexity, harmony and elegance, iconic of the heroic viticulture of Pantelleria

Aging potential

over 15 years

THE WINE EXPERIENCE

Food & Wine

with blue or aged cheeses, with sweet ricotta cheese desserts. Try it with chocolate, gianduja or ‘De Bondt Ryé’ pralines. Extraordinary alone, as a meditation wine. Serve it in tulip-shaped goblets of medium size, slightly bellied; uncork at time of serving; excellent at 14° C (57° F)

Occasions

an extraordinary meditation wine, it's the ideal companion while reading or listening to music. We recommend it as sweet ending of a formal dinner as well as a romantic date

Art & Wine

from the Arabic term "Son of the Wind" because the wind sweeps constantly around the grape clusters on Pantelleria. And the island's winds bring with them a profusion of fragrances so powerful that you can touch them. An author label telling the love, the care and the effort of heroic viticulture on an island unique and fascinating. A fresh and enchanting portrait that reveals its essence

First vintage

1989