Donnafugata means "the woman who fled" or "the woman who took refuge" in Italian. The name's roots go back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, to the story of a queen who had to leave Naples and take refuge in Sicily amid the turmoil of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic era. The protagonist is Maria Carolina, queen consort of King Ferdinando IV of Naples. Maria Carolina was the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and the sister of Marie Antoinette, who was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution.
Queen Maria Carolina is said to have crossed the sea to take refuge on the island of Sicily to escape Napoleon's threat. When the queen left the congested city and stayed in the inland area of Contessa Entellina in Sicily, local residents began calling the noblewoman who had fled with help at night "Donnafugata."
This anecdote also appears in Giuseppe Tomasi's novel "Il Gattopardo." As the name of the historic rural estate where the princely family of Salina goes to spend the sweltering summer is depicted as Donnafugata in the novel, the word has become a symbolic code running through the history and literature of Sicily. The film by director Luchino Visconti based on this novel won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1963.
It was the Rallo family of Sicily that sublimated the historical narrative into a wine brand. Giacomo Rallo of the Rallo family, which had been making wine in the Marsala area since 1851, and his wife, Gabriella Anca Rallo, founded Donnafugata in 1983 based on vineyards in Contessa Entellina.
At its founding, Donnafugata produced wine centered on Contessa Entellina and Marsala, but later expanded its production areas to Pantelleria, Etna, and Vittoria.
Sicily encompasses diverse growing environments, from coasts and hills to volcanic zones and islands. Donnafugata is a producer that showcases these varied natural conditions under one brand. Contessa Entellina is a hilly inland area of western Sicily; Pantelleria is a volcanic island with strong Mediterranean winds; and Etna is the slope of Europe's highest active volcano—each with distinct character.
What the winery particularly emphasizes is the potential of Sicily's native varieties. Donnafugata said it established an experimental vineyard in Contessa Entellina in 2009, planting 19 native varieties and 30 biotypes. Rather than stopping at imitating international varieties, it is an attempt to interpret the island's indigenous grapes and terroir in a modern way.
Anthìlia is the first wine Donnafugata made. Its first vintage was 1983, making it a symbolic wine that began with the winery's launch. Its name also comes from the region's history. Anthìlia was the Roman-era name for the ancient city of Entella in the Contessa Entellina area, so the wine's very name carries the archaeological roots of Sicily's western interior.
The label of Anthìlia features the face of a woman with her hair tousled by the wind. Donnafugata describes this woman as a mysterious and fleeting presence, like the Elymian civilization of ancient western Sicily. At the same time, Donnafugata's name, logo, and label universe also connect with the sensibility of co-founder Gabriella Rallo. The winery said Gabriella was the inspiration for the brand name and label. It is a moment where the image of the "woman who took refuge" in history overlaps with the narrative of a female founder who built a brand with a distinct sensibility in a male-centered wine industry.
Anthìlia is a white wine in the Sicilia DOC Bianco category. The main variety is Lucido. Some native Sicilian varieties and international varieties are blended in. The grapes come from Donnafugata's vineyards in Contessa Entellina in southwestern Sicily and nearby growing areas. The vineyards sit on hills at 200–400 meters above sea level and are characterized by clay-loam soils, mild winters, dry and windy summers, and large diurnal temperature swings.
The winemaking is tailored to bring out Anthìlia's crisp character. After gentle pressing, the must ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It is then aged in tanks for at least two months and further aged in bottle for about two months before release. Rather than emphasizing oak aging, the approach clearly highlights fruit aromas, acidity, and the distinctive saline minerality of Sicilian white wine.
Anthìlia shows a clear, bright straw color. On the nose, citrus, white-fleshed fruit, and delicate floral notes appear. On the palate, the fruit profile leads into fresh acidity and a distinct saline note. It pairs broadly with fish dishes, fried seafood, vegetable flan, fresh cheeses, and white meats. Anthìlia won the grand prize in the Old World white wine category at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. The official importer in Korea is NARA CELLAR.