03/06/2026
[ Donnafugata rooster | drawn by Gabriella Favara ]
Do you also possess a wine-place memory? We often tie wines to places of unforgettable experiences. For example, we remember that bad-weather day in Sicily in May 2013: steep and narrow steps led us down to a humble beach restaurant. There we sat, the sand at our feet and the roaring sea in our ears. On the wobbly table: a fresh seabream from the grill and a bottle of Donnafugata on ice. The perfect happiness!
Donnafugata is Italian for “the lady who escaped”, but we haven’t wanted to let her go since that special encounter. This extraordinary lunch at the beach marked the beginning of our pleasurable companionship with the wines of the Rallo family. Today, we have chosen Anthìlia Cattarato, a cornerstone of the celebrated winery, as our Country(house) white wine.
Every wine lover has their own story to tell. According to a famous legend the escaping Sicilian queen once found shelter in the hills of Entelina, where the Rallo keep their high-altitude vineyards today. A look at Donnafugata’s iconic labels tells you what matters the most to the family estates: authenticity and sustainability, a love for details and a commitment to art, Sicilian heritage and a family in which women always have played a major role.
We invite you to come make your very-own Donnafugata memory at our connoisseur hotel.
PS.: Don´t forget to ask Marianne about her Langosteria experience in Milan, which not only put Donnafugata´s passito on our wine list, but also defined our choice of glass.