Sweet little Pantelleria

PANTELLERIA IS A volcanic outcrop sitting alone and splendid in the Mediterranean Sea, half-way between Italy and Africa. In the past, it was occupied by all of the ancient Mediterranean powers, the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, French and Spanish. More recently, it has become the summer residence of modern celebrities, including Giorgio Armani and Carole Bouquet. The rest of the year, 7,000 Panetellerias inhabit this small island, which is a mere 12km long and seven wide.

Pantelleria means “island of wind” and the island is constantly buffeted by winds from all directions. As a result, vegetation keeps very low; the olive trees, vines and citrus trees are all bonsai versions of their mainland cousins. Even the houses, small, squat, square dry-stone buildings called dammussi, are single-story, with a domed roof to collect water. The island receives little rain, although severe thunderstorms led to several power-cuts during our visit. Pantelleria is 800 metres high, and goes through several climate changes as you venture inland up the steep slopes.

The Arabs brought one of the most ancient vines to the island, the Muscat of Alexandria, called Zibibbo here (Arabic for raisined grape) a variety found on many Mediterranean islands. It is unique as a grape, in that it tastes wonderful fresh, dried or made into wine. The vines are planted in hollows dug into the rock, and bush-trained to protect them from the wind.

The leading winery on the island is Donnafugata, owned by the Rallo family, who have a 150-year tradition of winemaking in Sicily. In 1988, Giacomo Rallo was persuaded by his wife to take a holiday, her first after 15 years of married life. They left Sicily for Pantelleria. On the second day, Giacomo, complaining of sunburn, did not go to the beach but disappeared for the day. That evening, he returned to announce that he had rented a vineyard and winery on the island, with the intention of making the unique traditional wine.

In 1998, the Rallo family discovered and painstakingly restored an abandoned vineyard containing vines believed to be 100 years old. This now forms the core of Ben Ryé wine, although they have 11 vineyards, all in different locations around the island. It has received many awards, including the prestigious Sweet Wine of the Year from the Gambero Rosso guide in 2007.

The family also run a 260-hectare estate in western Sicily, making a range of red and dry white wines. The name Donnafugata, literally “woman in flight”, refers to Queen Maria Carolina, wife of Bourbon king Ferdinand IV, who arrived in the early 1800s, fleeing Napoleon’s troops. She took refuge in Sicily.

On Pantelleria, Donnafugata produces just one wine, Ben Ryé, a Passito di Pantelleria, made using a combination of fresh and dried grapes. At the start of harvest, grapes from the warmer slopes are laid out on trays to dry in polytunnels for three weeks, where they take on an amazing intensity and richness. The semi-dried grapes are then removed from the stalks by hand (a very labour-intensive operation) and gradually added to the fermenting must of later-picked fresh grapes. It is a superb wine, rich and sweet, but with perfect balancing acidity and great depth. About four kilos of grapes are needed to make one litre of wine, and given that yields are very low, this is never going to be a cheap wine. However, it is a true taste of history, harking back to the aged, sweet wines found all over the Mediterranean in centuries past.

BOTTLES OF THE WEEK

Polena 2009, Donnafugata, IGT Sicilia, 12.5%, €15.99Made primarily from the Cataratta grape variety along with some Viognier, this is an engaging crisp dry white with real depth. Drink as an aperitif or with seafood. Stockists: Fallon Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2; Michael's Wines, Deerpark, Mount Merrion; Gibney's, Malahide; Red Nose Wines, Clonmel; On the Grapevine, Dalkey; Thewineshop.ie. Also available in Northern Ireland at £10.99 from Gap Wines, Belfast

Sherazade 2008 Donnafugata IGT Sicilia, 12.5%, €15.99This would be my pick of the bunch, made from the local Nero d'Avola grape, but a very un-Sicilian wine with light, savoury but ripe, juicy sweet redcurrant and liquorice fruits, and a snappy tannin-free finish. A very attractive young wine to match with lighter pasta dishes. Stockists: Fallon Byrne; Next Door, Enfield; JM Vintners, Rush; Gibney's; Hole in the Wall, Dublin 7; On the Grapevine; Lilac Wines, Fairview, Dublin 3; Michael's; Red Nose Wines; thewineshop.ie. Also available in Northern Ireland for £10.99 from Gap Wines, Belfast and Goode Lovett, Dungannon

Mille e una Notte 2006, Donnafugata, 14%, €68.99Made almost entirely from the local Nero d'Avola grape, this is an expensive but impressive wine. Deep, rich aromas of plum and cassis, structured on the palate with an excellent concentration of meaty, dark fruits. It is neither over-oaked not over-extracted. The finish is savoury and long. A wine that needs decanting or preferably a few years' ageing. Stockists: thewineshop.ie; Fallon Byrne; Michael's

Ben Ryé 2007 Passito di Pantelleria, Donnafugata, €64.99, 14.5%A beguiling blend of tangy orange peel, grilled nuts and rich, lightly raisined sweet caramel fruit, brought to life by cutting mandarin and fresh fruits. A sweet wine, but it never cloys in the mouth. Drink with rich desserts or blue cheese, or better still as a meditation wine at the end of a meal. Stockists: Thewineshop.ie; Fallon Byrne; Michael's; 64 Wines, Glasthule

BEER OF THE WEEK

Harviestoun Schiehallion Pilsner, Scotland, 4.8%, €2.89 for a 500ml bottle A step above the standard pilsner with a light hoppiness and a lemon crispness on the finish.