2021 Mille e Una Notte Gattopardo Netflix Special Edition, Donnafugata

• Style: Full-bodied Nero d’Avola, dark and generous
• Taste: Black mulberry, plum, black pepper, liquorice, mint, chocolate
• Food: Roasted lamb, grilled beef, game, BBQ, stews
• Occasion: Gifting, cellar worthy
• Serve: 14–16°C, now or age

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Intense ruby in the glass, this Nero d'Avola arrives wrapped in black mulberry and plum, with black pepper and liquorice spice cutting through. Mint and chocolate emerge on the palate, supported by soft, resolved tannins that speak to precise winemaking control. At 14% alcohol, the wine is balanced and approachable now, yet structured enough to reward cellaring.

The Winery — Donnafugata

The Rallo family have been making wine since 1851, beginning with Marsala in the ancient cellars beneath their home city. When traditional Marsala sales declined, they launched Donnafugata in 1983 to champion Sicily's native varieties as serious table wines. Today they operate four estates across the island. The name recalls Queen Maria Carolina, who fled the court of Naples for Sicily when Napoleon's troops arrived; her refuge, the Santa Margherita Belice palace — a favourite residence of writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa — is depicted on the label, the literary thread behind this Gattopardo Netflix Special Edition bottling. The 2021 vintage comes from the Contessa Entellina estate in the hills above Marsala, where Nero d'Avola vines planted between 200 and 600 metres benefit from mineral-rich clay loam and diurnal temperature swings. Small additions of Petit Verdot (5%) and Syrah (5%) add structure without overwhelming the wine's soul. Hand-selected grapes fermented in temperature-controlled tanks on their skins for two weeks, then aged in new French oak barrels for a year before two years in bottle, allowing the wine to knit together beautifully.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This is a wine that rewards serious eating. Its elegant tannins and backbone make it equally at home with roasted lamb, grilled beef, substantial game dishes, BBQ, and braised stews, and a traditional roast dinner suits it just as well. Serve at 14–16°C. A full bodied red wine from Sicily that earns its reputation, it's perfect for gifting to serious wine lovers or laying down in your cellar. Vegan and vegetarian friendly. Explore the rest of our Italy selection and discover why Sicily remains one of the world's most exciting wine regions.