Review: Donnafugata 2023 Sherazade and 2022 Floramundi

Sicily’s Donnafugata recently dropped two new wines and a bold new packaging that is striking, even for the often out-there winery. Both are built around nero d’avola, the defining red varietal on the island.

2023 Donnafugata Sherazade DOC Review

100% nero d’avola, but you’d never know it based on the exuberantly fruity composition on display here. Initially aggressively heavy with notes of currants and overripe cherries, the wine takes its time to find a sense of balance — eventually finding some in the form of a touch of strawberry vinegar that adds a punchy acidity to the finish. It’s surprisingly uncomplicated, though the appearance of some dried flowers on the finish at least hint at something more. B / $20

2022 Donnafugata Floramundi DOCG Review

Dense in color but gentle on the palate, this roughly 70-30 blend of nero d’avola and frappato is vaguely merlot-like with its floral character and plummy, violet-laced palate. Notes of blueberries and blackberries build on an effusive and rather rounded body, and while light touches of anise add an earthy quality, the wine remains light on its feet and finishes with notes of cherry and hints of vanilla — and latent hints of bay leaf. It’s a juicy wine but one which is never jammy, kept in balance by a well-designed but subtle tannin structure. A- / $30

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