• Dessert style
• Apricot & orange peel
• Full bodied
• Long finish

Ben Ryé 2019 offers an extraordinary rich bouquet with outstanding aromas obtained from the dried grapes: apricots and candied orange peel. It presents delicate hints of Mediterranean scrub (maquis). The palate is very fresh and intense, balancing perfectly the sweetness followed by a long and satisfying persistence.

The vines are cultivated, in hollows, low alberello pantesco. The low bush vine of Pantelleria has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a “creative and sustainable” practice. Planting density of 2,500 plants per hectare (1,000 an acre) with a yield of about 4–5 tons per hectare (1,6-2 tons an acre). The average age of the vines is about 60 years; some are ungrafted and survived phylloxera exceeding 100 years in age.

With about 379 mm of rainfall in 2018 compared to an average of 434 mm in this area, the vintage was less rainy. This resulted in the need, in some vineyards, to perform cluster thinning in order to balance the crop load with soil water availability, to favor optimal ripening of grapes. On Pantelleria, in quantitative terms, a drop of about 20% was registered compared to the company’s average of recent vintages.

Once the grapes reach the winery, they undergo further selection on a vibrating table before soft pressing. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel at controlled temperatures; the dried grapes – added to the fresh must in several batches – are de-stemmed and selected by hand. During maceration, the dried grapes release their extraordinary legacy of sweetness, freshness and a very personal aroma. The vinification process (fermentation and maceration) last over 1 month. Aging takes place in stainless steel for 8 months and at least 12 months in bottle before being released to the market.

Food Pairing: perfect with dry pastries, chocolate and jam or ricotta tarts. Try also with blue cheese and foie gras. Extraordinary on its own, as a meditation wine.