Donnafugata, Sicily
Thursday 22nd May, 7:00pm for 7:30pm
with
Giorgia Nanut – Donnafugata.
Kenneth Culhane – Head Chef.
Barny Taylor – Managing Director.
Donnafugata was founded in 1983 by Giacomo Rallo, the fourth generation of a family with over 170 years of experience in producing quality wine, together with his wife Gabriella, considered a pioneer of feminine viticulture. Today the company is led by their children, Antonio and José, together with a team of people committed to excellence and to the very best representation of Sicily’s indigenous varieties. The family have made wines in Marsala since 1851, with ancient cellars that tunnel beneath the city, and were one of the first families to make high-quality table wine when sales of traditional Marsala started to decline. Today, Donnafugata has five estates in Sicily: the historic Rallo family cellars in Marsala, a modern winery and 343 hectares at Contessa Entellina in the hills east of Marsala, 42 hectares in Vittoria towards the south-eastern point of the island, 68 hectares on the island of Pantelleria, and 35 hectares on the slopes of Etna.
As a family business in continual evolution their desire is to represent the excellent artisanal and creative reputation of Made in Italy throughout the World. A leading example of authentic and sustainable wine-making in Sicily, Donnafugata has over 30 years experience in sustainable good practices, including no use of herbicides or chemical fertilizers, production of its own clean energy and a continuing dedication to preserving and improving the landscape and biodiversity of its land.
Donnafugata means ‘fleeing woman’ and refers to Queen Maria Carolina, who escaped the court of Naples in the early 19th century with her husband, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, when Napoleon’s troops arrived. The couple took refuge in Sicily at the Santa Margherita Belice palace, the favourite residence of celebrated writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, which is depicted on the label of one of their wines, ‘Mille e Una Notte’.
The Donnafugata wines fuse Sicilian tradition with a modern approach. The Cerasuolo ‘Floramundi’ blends the local Nero d’Avola and Frappato creating an elegant wine with the power of Nero D’Avola from Vittoria and the aromatic Frappato. The Etna wines come from high-elevation vineyards at 730 – 750 metres above sea level. A portion of the white, made solely from Carricante, is aged in used oak to enhance its texture, while a component of the red, made from Nerello Mascalese, is kept in stainless steel to enhance the freshness and intensity that characterise the wines from Etna.’
We thoroughly enjoyed our tasting of the wines when planning the menu and are sure you will be similarly impressed. The overriding style of the wines is perfect for a spring dinner, with the whites full of floral freshness as well as tropical and orchard fruit character, and the reds with red fruits, minerality, smokiness and balanced tannins. The sweet wine, Moscato di Pantelleria ‘Kabir’, will be the perfect ending to a May menu, with a perfect balance of opulence and sweetness against zesty freshness, stone fruit and elderflower.
We do hope you will be able to join us for this special dinner,
Barny and Ken
Menu and wines
Grillo ‘Sur Sur’ 2023
CANAPES
Cornish mackerel escabeche, aioli, squid ink
Wakame, escabeche vegetables, aioli, fennel cracker
White peach gazpacho, peppercorn marinated Charentais melon, garden flowers
•
Etna Bianco Carricante ‘Sul Vulcano’ 2021
Norfolk green asparagus mimosa, artichoke crisps, Somerset goats’ curd, dill
•
Etna Rosso Nero Mascalese ‘Sul Volcano’ 2021
Pappardelle pasta, spiced pork shoulder ragù, wild marjoram, pink peppercorns
Pappardelle pasta, spiced shitake mushroom ragù, wild marjoram, pink peppercorns
•
Cerasuolo di Vittoria (Nero d’Avola/Frappato), ‘Floramundi’ 2022
Charred Yew Tree Farm lamb, tarte fine of shoulder, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergine, black olive, roasted pistachio and fig leaf jus
Tarte fine of courgettes, tomatoes, aubergine, black olive, roasted pistachio, bitter leaves and truffle sauce
•
Moscato di Pantelleria ‘Kabir’ 2023
Namayasai Farm burnt honey bavorois, olive oil pastry, Yorkshire strawberries, lemongrass, ginger
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PETITS FOURS
•
£185.00 per person
By reservation
•
Wines will be served in 125ml measures
Vegetarian menu in grey
•
Giorgia Nanut – Donnafugata
Kenneth Culhane – Head Chef
Food Allergies and Intolerances: before you order your food and drinks please speak to our staff if you have an allergy and want to know about our ingredients
BOOKINGS
Please get in touch with Manager, Barny Taylor by email to:
enquiries@thedysartpetersham.co.uk
or call 020 8940 8005
