87
Donnafugata 2015 Grillo Sur Sur 12.5%
This wine’s color looks pale, like lemon pulp in color. It’s savory on the nose with notes of crushed slate, grapefruit zest and veggie broth. This is a relatively lean Grillo – and all the better this, rather than some of the variety’s more blowsy expressions – that is nonetheless character-filled. Moderate on the finish with lots of expressive citrusy character, this wine shows a hint of grip toward the finish that gives it a definitively Italian character as well as a place at the table.
Drink: 2016-17

90
Donnafugata 2015 Nero d’Avola Sherazade 13.0%
This wine offers a deep plum color that looks like it has been infused with crushed blueberries. Its nose smells of hot and dusty earthy mashed into a bowl of smashed blackberries. There’s a touch of tangy aciidty to rein in the very dry, rather medium body of the wine. There’s such a suppleness of fruit on the palate that the dry, lightly scratchy tannins don’t surface until the medium finish. For a $20 SRP wine, this definitely over-delivers in flavor, texture and versatility of useage.
Drink: 2016-19