2023 Rapitala Conte Hugues Chardonnay Terre Siciliane

Tenuta Rapitala encompasses 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's father, Rapitala was the first Sicilian winery to plant international grape varieties. Today, the winery is known for its high quality and diversity of wines, where tradition and innovation go hand in hand. Besides winemaker Silvio Centonze, who is in charge of the cellar, agronomist Ignazio Arena works in the vineyards. Both strive to operate as environmentally friendly as possible. To achieve this, they use renewable energy from wind turbines located on the hilltops surrounding the estate.

The name Rapitala is derived from Arabic and means "land of the god." Arabic texts and architecture are still common on Sicily due to the island's historical Saracen rule. This is what you call a world-class Sicilian wine. The wine is made from 100% Nero Syrah grapes. This Rapitalà Sire Nero Syrah Sicilia DOC is a delicious red wine with an intense red color and a powerful, Mediterranean character. The nose reveals fruity aromas of blackberry and blackcurrant. On the palate, the wine has a fresh, herbal flavor and is an ideal accompaniment to red meat, curry, and spicy dishes.

The De Conte Hugues is a beautiful Chardonnay that bears the family crest, honoring the founder of Tenuta Rapitalà—a nod to the French heritage of owner Laurent Bernard De La Gatinais. Since the 2018 vintage, the wine has also been called Rapitalà Chardonnay Conte Hugues Terre Siciliane, thus changing its name (previous vintages were called Grand Cru Chardonnay). It remains a beautiful Chardonnay aged in oak for 10 months. In the glass, the Rapitalà 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 exquisite Sicilian wine displays the typical fruity characters of the Chardonnay with aromatic notes from oak aging. This is a round, well-formed wine with a long, mouth-filling finish. It's a beautiful, concentrated, balanced, and gastronomic Chardonnay that pairs perfectly with white meat dishes, shellfish, smoked fish dishes, and foie gras.

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

Rapitala's great work. A bianco draped in gold garlands. Closer inspection reveals tropical fruits, syrup waffles, gingerbread cookies, dried yellow fruit, fried banana, and double-whipped cream. Oak, barely any acidity. Indeed, for those who prefer a fuller-bodied wine.
Harold Hamersma in De Grote Hamersma 2019, rated with a 9