2022 Rapitala Conte Hugues Chardonnay Terre Siciliane

Tenuta Rapitala comprises 225 hectares of vineyards located in the heart of Sicily. It was here that the parents of the current owner, Count Laurent Bernard De La Gatinais, founded the winery in 1968. Thanks to the French roots of Count Laurent Bernard De La Gatinais' father, Rapitala was the first Sicilian winery to plant international grapes. Today, the winery is known for its high quality and diversity of wines, where tradition and innovation go hand in hand. In addition to winemaker Silvio Centonze, who is responsible for the cellar, agronomist Ignazio Arena works in the vineyards. Both want to work as environmentally friendly as possible. To achieve this, renewable energy is used from windmills located on top of the hills surrounding the house.

The name Rapitala is derived from Arabic and means land of god. Arabic texts and architecture are still found in Sicily because the island was Saracen in the past. This is what you call a world-class Sicilian. The wine is made from 100% Nero Syrah grapes. This De Rapitalà Sire Nero Syrah Sicilia DOC is a delicious red wine and has an intense red color and has a powerful, Mediterranean character. In the nose fruit aromas of blackberries and blackcurrants. In the mouth the wine has a fresh, spicy taste and is an ideal companion for red meat, curry, spicy food.

The De Conte Hugues is a beautiful Chardonnay that is allowed to bear the family crest, in honor of the founder of Tenuta Rapitalà - and is a reference to the French background of owner Laurent Bernard De La Gatinais. From the 2018 vintage, the name Rapitalà Chardonnay Conte Hugues Terre Siciliane has also been used and has therefore changed in terms of naming (previous vintages had the name Grand Cru Chardonnay) and it is and remains a beautiful Chardonnay that has been matured in wood for 10 months. In the glass, the Rapitala Grand Cru Chardonnay/Chardonnay Conte Hugues has a pale gold color. On the nose, this beautiful white wine has a bouquet with intense aromas of ripe fruit and toasted bread. On the palate, this beautiful Sicilian wine has the typical fruity characters of the Chardonnay with aromatic notes from the wood maturation. This is a round, well-formed wine with a long, mouth-filling aftertaste. It is a beautiful, concentrated, balanced and gastronomic Chardonnay. which goes excellently with white meat dishes, shellfish, smoked fish dishes, foie gras.

****(*) – max. 5 stars. “Passion fruit and flowers, apricots, mango. Ripe and rich, lush, soft acids.” – Perswijn 2020

“The great work of Rapitala. With golden garlands hung bianco. Closer inspection reveals tropical fruits, syrup waffles, gingerbread, dried yellow fruits, fried banana and double whipped cream. Oak, hardly any acids. Indeed, for lovers of the fuller model”,
Harold Hamersma in De Grote Hamersma 2019, rated with a 9