Donnafugata

Donnafugata is one of the most famous Sicilian wineries. The name of the company literally means 'woman in flight' and refers to Queen Maria Carolina, wife of Ferdinand IV of Borbon, who fled Naples in the first years of the nineteenth century while it was invaded by Napoleon's troops. She seeked refuge in the Prince of Salina's properties, in Sicily, where the winery's vineyards stand today. The famous writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, author of the well-known Il Gattopardo, gave the name Donnafugata to the estates. Today Donnafugata has 406 hectares of vineyards; 270 of these are on the Contessa Entellina's area and 68 on the beautiful Pantelleria island.