2021 Dolce & Gabbana Tancredi, Donnafugata

• Style: Structured Sicilian Red Blend
• Taste: Ripe plum, balsamic, liquorice, spice, silky tannins
• Food: Roasted lamb, grilled beef, baked pasta with meat
• Occasion: Date night, gifting, cellar worthy
• Serve: 13.5% ABV, proper stemware, a little air

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

The 2021 Tancredi opens with ripe plum and blueberry, then layers in balsamic depth, liquorice and subtle toasted oak—spice threading through it all. On the palate, enveloping body and fine-grained tannins feel integrated rather than aggressive, with length that lingers. The marriage of Nero d'Avola (native heart), Cabernet Sauvignon (dark fruit and backbone), and Tannat (tannin and staying power) delivers Mediterranean warmth married to serious structure. Clean acidity at 5.2g/L won't tire you through a meal, while 13.5% alcohol keeps the wine refined rather than heavy.

The Winery — Donnafugata

The Rallo family's modern label, launched in 1983, has spent four decades proving that Sicily deserves global attention. Building on centuries of winemaking heritage in Marsala, Donnafugata championed native varieties when traditional fortified production declined, establishing four estates across the island. The Contessa Entellina vineyard, where Tancredi is made, sits 200–400 metres up in clay-rich, mineral soils that drain perfectly—terrain where Tannat first thrived after experimental planting in 2002. The 2021 vintage benefited from careful vineyard work and a dry spring allowing even fruit ripeness. Grapes were sorted ruthlessly on vibrating tables before temperature-controlled steel fermentation and 14 months in oak, then aged 22 months in bottle before release, ensuring the wine drinks beautifully now while built to hold for years.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This confident Sicilian red sits at the structured end of the spectrum—built for roasted lamb, grilled beef, baked pasta with meat sauce, and even swordfish prepared with capers and olive oil. Pair it with BBQ, stews, game, or classic roast dinners. Pour into proper stemware and give it a little air to open fully. At 93 points from VertdeVin, this is a wine worth gifting, worth opening on date night, and worth laying down if you have the patience. Explore more of our broader Italy selection to discover how different regions and producers interpret the peninsula's endless potential.