A rich, luxurious sweetie, with flavors of orange glacée, pink grapefruit sorbet, spun honey, apple peel and butterscotch melting on the palate like cotton candy. A bright tang of citrusy acidity and a touch of salinity give this good cut and form, while fragrant hints of lavender, cardamom, white chocolate and Earl Grey waft in on the long, lasting finish. Drink now through 2034. 9,500 cases made, 590 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Italy / South / Sicily / Passito di Pantelleria Select to Add

One of the icons of southern Italy, the 2020 Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé (poured from a 750-milliliter bottle) is sun-dried Zibibbo (or Muscat of Alexandria) with fruit from pre-phylloxera vines planted in wind-swept terraces on this tiny Sicilian satellite island. Fruit is sourced from across 12 contrade on this volcanic island. With an abundant 79,000 bottles made, the wine opens to a dark amber color with aromas of dried fig, white raisin, honey, brown sugar and candied fruit. This hot-vintage expression is especially sweet and thick in texture.

This gorgeous sweetie is the color of burnished gold and melts like cotton candy on the palate. Exudes aromas and flavors of baked apricot, ground cardamom, mandarin orange jam, clover honey and a rich hint of graham cracker. Vibrant acidity frames the long and well-spiced, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2032. 425 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Italy / South / Sicily / Passito di Pantelleria Select to Add

A deeply hued, golden sweetie that's beautifully fragrant, with mouth-coating flavors of glazed apricot, candied ginger and salted caramel layered upon aromas of ground cardamom, orange blossom, incense and myrrh. Lightly mouthwatering and harmonious throughout, with a lasting, spiced finish. Drink now through 2028. 350 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Italy / South / Sicily / Passito di Pantelleria Select to Add

The Donnafugata 2018 Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé shows that distinctive polished copper color that if you are a Ben Ryé fan like me, you will recognize a mile away. In fact, this celebrated Zibibbo-based dessert wine from Pantelleria always stands out in a crowd. It is one of Italy's A-list dessert wines. Fruit from alberello pantesco vines planted in volcanic soils is left to dry under the hot island sun and pushed forward in the appassimento process, thanks to steady sea winds. The aromas are also specific to this wine with sweet honey, glazed almond, brown sugar and sun-dried fig. This particular vintage is a hair less fresh perhaps in terms of acidity, but it is very expressive to the senses and concentrated in terms of texture. The pricing you see here is for the 375-milliliter bottle, but I tasted the wine from a 750-milliliter bottle (and total production is 60,000 bottles).