Notes
In the same vein of the Super Tuscan, "Mille e Una Notte" (1,001 Nights in Italian) is a Super Sicilian: a blend of Sicily's best-known grape Nero d'Avola with small amounts of Petit Verdot, Syrah and others. This is dense and intense, and typically benefits from some cellar time
Denomination
Sicilia Doc Rosso
Variety
Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and other grapes
Production Area
Contessa Entellina estate and neighboring territories, South Western Sicily
Refinement
Aging for 14 months in new french oak barriques. The barriques used are selected from the best tonnellerie on the basis of the origin of the oak, the fine and extra-fine grain and the type of toasting, mainly medium intensity.
The wine is then aged for almost 2 years in the bottle.
At the table
Excellent with roast and braised meat, first courses with ragù sauce and rack of lamb.
Try it with tasty dishes of stewed fish.
Analytical data
Alcohol: 13.45Total acidity: 5.4pH: 3.69
James Suckling Review - Rated 96:
A deep nose of plum, blackberry, red licorice and ground coriander. Medium-to full-bodied with some tense tannins. Fresh. Well-ripened fruit that shows lovely depth, but is not overdone whatsoever. Red fruit takes charge on the palate. A hint of caper, too. Lovely and precise for a wet vintage. Best after 2023.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Review - Rated 92:
The top-shelf red from Donnafugata is the 2018 Sicilia Mille e Una Notte, which is mostly Nero d'Avola with other grapes in the blend, including Petit Verdot and Syrah. It shows rich concentration and dark fruit flavors of blackcurrant and plum. With time, you also perceive Sicilian aromas of caper and black olive. Those dark primary fruit flavors are framed by spice and mineral. The mouthfeel in 2018 is thinner than past vintages, especially on the mid-palate, and there is some bitterness that implies greener tannins. Some 70,000 bottles were released.
