Marsala: Giacomo Rallo has died

The wine world loses a great personality: yesterday morning in Marsala, Giacomo Rallo, founder of the cantina Donnafugata, died suddenly.

The funeral is scheduled for this afternoon at 4 PM in Marsala, at the Chiesa Madre.
Cavaliere del lavoro since 2006, Giacomo Rallo was born in Marsala on October 18, 1937 and was one of the most internationally renowned and respected Sicilian wine entrepreneurs. A law graduate, he was a representative of the fourth generation of an ancient Sicilian family engaged, since the mid-19th century, in the production of quality wines. While still young, he participated in the activities of the family business, being firmly convinced of the extraordinary winemaking potential of his land.

After various entrepreneurial endeavors and drawing on experiences gained abroad, in 1983, together with his wife Gabriella Anca, he launched the Donnafugata project.

In California, he learned, for example, how to produce quality wines in warm climates using cold technology, refrigerating grapes and musts, controlling their temperature throughout the entire production cycle and also during the aging phases. Such experiences allowed him to steer Donnafugata's strategic decisions toward the quality wine market segment.

Rallo's goal was always to develop an innovative cultural vision in Sicily – one that would strengthen the identity of a region rich in history and wine heritage, while embracing the best of oenological science. The project was to materialize by showcasing the quality of the island's wines, thus building the identity of a hardworking land full of excellence. For these reasons, Giacomo Rallo is considered one of the foremost innovators on the Sicilian wine scene.

The Donnafugata project was carried forward by building the vinification cellars of Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria and the aging cellar in Marsala, as well as managing 260 hectares of vineyards in Contessa Entellina and 68 hectares in Pantelleria.

Deeply Sicilian, cultured and sharp in his speech, he was a firm advocate of associationism among actors in the wine supply chain, so much so that throughout his life he held prestigious positions in various trade organizations: "My land needs to believe in itself, to rediscover its productive and cultural vocations, and to increasingly bring forward a managerial and entrepreneurial class capable of generating development and work for future generations," as he said on the occasion of his recognition as Cavaliere del lavoro.

In this moment of grief, we extend our most heartfelt condolences to his wife Gabriella and his children Josè and Antonio.