2006 Donnafugata - Passito di Pantelleria Ben Rye Muscat - Italy - Sicily - Passito di Pantelleria - White - Villages

($40) Golden yellow with a bright orange tinge. Explosive, highly perfumed aromas of ripe apricot, peach, citrus fruits, cinnamon and pepper. Pure and clean, with impressive depth to the ripe citrus and peach flavors; an undercurrent of tropical fruits contributes volume and flesh. The concentrated, very long finish throws off notes of lavender and acacia honey. Perhaps the best-ever Ben Rye, amazingly intense yet elegant and impeccably balanced. Depending on the vintage, it's made up of grapes from 3 to 11 vineyards located in different sub-zones on the island of Pantelleria, one of my favorite wine spots and a uniquely beautiful region.