291305.P100-143.CRX.qxp:Excellence
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Respect for the environment and promotion of the territory are values in which Donnafugata believes and find their maximum expression on Pantelleria
this type of research. Consequently, we have to rely on programs funded by public agencies, attempting to collaborate with them during their research and granting access to the soil for testing.” Another avenue being pursued by research centers is that of ’micro-winemaking’. These are helpful for maintaining as much data as possible, and then refining the production process on a larger scale. It is, after all, experimentation that allows for improvement and preservation of quality. Donnafugata appears to have understood this for some time now: they did not hesitate before making their land available for testing these new techniques. “We’re waiting for the conclusions of the research so we can plant an experimental vineyard,” Rallo says. “Last year, our investments in new vineyards equaled approximately 20% of sales, which are 16.7 million Euros.”
TECHNOLOGY FOR EXCELLENCE
The success of Sicilian wine is, in short, entirely due to the quality of the vine, which preserves its properties. The other factors that determine the final result are the irrigation methods, pruning, and the choice of timing for the harvest. ”In this case,” Rallo concludes, “we rely on the chemical analysis of the must, but also on the sensory characteristics, of the taste of the grape.” Since 1983, the company has promoted an intelligent use of cooling technology for the control of temperature in fermenting the must. It was decided to cool the grapes to 10°C (50° F) to prevent volatilization of the aromas during the pressing phase. This remained the case until 1998, when harvesting the Chardonnay by nighttime was first tried in an effort to avoid risk of undesired fermentation during transportation from vineyard to cellar. This also allowed savings of 70% of the energy used for refrigerating before soft pressing. Night harvesting is now one of the feathers in the company’s cap, not only because of the publicity it attracts, but also for the beneficial effect it has on the final product. “For white grapes, the night is the best time to harvest,” Rallo explains. “During the summer we have a temperature difference of about 16°C (60° F) between day and night, so this method makes it possible to save a lot of energy. This way, we actually favor the product’s natural sedimentation and avoid the spontaneous fermentations and oxidations that would occur at 30°C (86°F) during the day.” Donnafugata’s starlit harvests have enabled Sicily to take a place beside winemaking regions that have even longer traditions, like Tuscany, Piedmont, or the Veneto. This is also due, in part, to the company’s innate ability to find new approaches to generating interest in wines and to pursue innovations in keeping with the leading market trends. Similarly, the company’s management has invested over the past few years in the building of a new 1,600-square meter underground cellar, where the optimal climatic conditions will cut down on cooling costs. Construction was completed in Marsala in 2007. Donnafugata decided to invest in clean energy, installing the first solar power system in Contessa Entellina in 2002. Together with a new installation that will be completed at the end of 2008, this will cover 70% of the winemaking cellar’s energy needs. A solar panel system was installed on the roofs of the historic Marsala cellars in 2007.
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