Beneath Sicilian stars, the nighttime harvest returns

At Donnafugata the night of San Lorenzo, August 10^th, will be a magical one. “Calici di Stelle” (“Goblets of Stars”), the annual event promoted by the Wine Tourism Movement, will truly be a night not to miss for anyone who loves wine and wants to know more about its terroirs and production techniques.
In the splendid vineyards of the Donnafugata estate
(at km 60 of the Palermo-Sciacca highway - S.S. 624), traditionally opened to the public for this event, right that night the night harvest of the Chardonnay grapes grown in its “La Fuga” vineyard will begin. This coincidence has been unforeseeable until just recently because the harvest was expected to begin mid-August.
After keeping a close eye on how the grapes were ripening Antonio Rallo - head of the winery’s production staff - dispelled all doubts and set the starting date for picking the Chardonnay for precisely the night when wine-lovers and wine tourists usually come to visit the estate and its cellars and to taste Donnafugata wines.
A magnificent surprise that many will be able to enjoy in person, perhaps while sipping a glass of “La Fuga” Chardonnay itself.
In any case, the hours for Calici di Stelle remain those previously announced: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Reservations, which are required, can be made with a toll-free call to 800 252321 or via e-mail at info@donnafugata.it. The tasting fee, payable at the entrance, is 5 Euro, plus a
5 Euro deposit for the tasting glass, which will be refunded when the glass is returned.
Donnafugata began the nocturnal harvest in 1998 and since then, year after year, it has become a reference technique for preserving the quality of the grapes’ aromas, reducing to a minimum the risk of micro-fermentations that the elevated daytime temperatures in Sicily in August might trigger if the grapes were picked during the day. It thereby ensures that the full bouquet of the little Chardonnay grapes will be retained.
Nighttime temperatures at the Contessa Entellina estate are a great deal cooler so the grapes reach the cellar perfectly intact and ready to be cooled and gently pressed. But in addition to maintaining the qualitative level of the grapes, the nighttime harvest also brings other benefits: picking is less tiring and less energy is needed to cool the grapes before they are pressed.