When I learned of Giacomo Tachis‘ passing earlier this month, I was reminded of how many of his wines I have tasted. Yesterday on Valentine’s day in fact I was just thinking about one of these special wines as one that I consider romantic and sexy as every good Valentine’s day should be: MIlle e Una Notte from Donnafugata. This Nero d’Avola blend is lovely. I haven’t been to Sicily in many years but I have had the occasion to drink Donnafugata wines the world over. The first time I had a wine made with Nero d’Avola I remember being surprised at both its alcohol level as well as its acidity. It’s generally a big full bodied wine with firm tannins and serious aging potential. I’ve had Nero d’avola that has been aged in wood, aged in stainless steel or not aged at all. I like many of the wines made by Donnafugata with Tachis’ help including both Tancredi, and Mille e Una Notte, wines made of blends of Nero d’avola and international varieties that soon became some of my favorite wines. I must confess that I also love their Ben Rye. These three wines hold a special place in my heart as does Sicily in general. Perhaps it’s the link to Il Gattopardo, a book and a movie that I love, but something about Donnafugata stays with you.