The Donnafugata Sedàra label is striking and expressive. It conjures a story waiting to be told—not just any story, but one rooted in literature and immortalized in film. Fortunately, this new version of the Sedàra label is thoughtfully explained on the winery’s website:
“A woman’s face becomes the protagonist of this new version: she is the irresistible and ambitious Angelica Sedàra, the charming Claudia Cardinale of the film by Luchino Visconti, based on the literary work by Tomasi di Lampedusa.
The countryside of the Contessa Entellina estate, where this wine comes from, integrates perfectly into Angelica’s dreamy face, continuing the story begun in the historic label.”
A rich backstory, no doubt. Additional detail from a review on nataliemaclean.com offers another layer:
“This Sicilian winery’s name, Donnafugata, means woman in flight or fugitive woman (donna in fuga). …The name refers to a queen who found refuge in a castle where the vineyards are planted today. A woman’s head with windblown hair is on the label of every bottle.”
Great origin. Strong symbolism. But this label still needs to be brought to life. The character must be imagined and felt.
In a rare insight into the creative process, Donnafugata shared a short video that animates the evolution of the design—beginning with the linear sketch of a woman’s face, then blooming with colour and floating landscape details. It’s dreamlike, as though we’re being invited into the vision resting behind Angelica’s closed eyes.
I’m especially intrigued by the shift in background—from the initial rainbow of hues to a bold, commanding orange. The earlier version worked, but this transition? It pops. It dominates shelf space, particularly when paired with the matching capsule. It’s competitive packaging at its finest.
The back label uses a common approach of repeating the primary artwork in faded colours as a background for text. It’s a logical continuation of the front label, but not without drawbacks. The dark patches in the background reduce contrast with the black type, making it tough to read. Add to that a wide copy layout, and you’ll find yourself turning the bottle just to follow a single sentence.
As for the wine itself—Sedàra is approachable and versatile, bursting with plum, cherry, and other dark fruit flavours. It’s equally at home beside a comforting meal or served slightly chilled on a warm patio evening.
Great labels don’t just wrap a bottle—they enhance the experience. This one? It’s a dream.
