2018 Rapitala Hugonis

Tenuta Rapitala comprises 225 hectares of vineyards located in the heart of Sicily. Here it was the parents of the current owner Count Laurent Bernard De La Gatinais who started the winery in 1968. Thanks to the French roots of the father of Count Laurent Bernard De La Gatinais, 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 can still be found in Sicily because the island was Saracen in the past. This is what you would call a world class Sicilian. The Hugonis is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Nero d'Avola from an excellent vintage in Sicily. This is a dark saturated wine with bold layers of fruit and lots of dark mulberry, blackberry, leather, spices, black olives and moist chewing tobacco. The wine shows maturity, but there is a careful balance here with a fruity acidity. The Hugonis offers the soft and juicy structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas reminiscent of the warm summer breeze in Sicily that aromas of wild fennel and sea salt. About 8,000 bottles were made.