Sicilian Wines

Sicily is Italy's largest wine region (over 100,000 hectares of vineyards) and has been experiencing a qualitative revolution for two decades. Once notorious for mass production, Sicily now produces some of the most exciting and highly praised wines in Italy — at prices that are still remarkably fair.

The Main Grape Varieties

• Nero d'Avola — Sicily's great red grape variety: robust, fruity, with notes of dark cherries, plums, and spices. Often compared to Australian Shiraz, but more elegant. The best come from the Noto and Vittoria regions.
• Nerello Mascalese — The Pinot Noir-like grape variety of Etna: elegant, mineral, complex, shaped by volcanic soils. The Etna wines (Etna Rosso DOC) are Sicily's most hyped wines — internationally celebrated and (still) affordable.
• Grillo — Fresh, aromatic white wine, originally used for Marsala, now a hidden gem as a dry wine. From western Sicily.
• Carricante — Indigenous white grape variety from Etna, mineral and elegant. Etna Bianco DOC is one of Italy's most exciting white wines.
• Catarratto — Sicily's most cultivated white grape variety, fruity and uncomplicated. Perfect terrace wine.

Marsala

Marsala DOC is Sicily's most famous wine — a fortified wine (like Sherry or Port), available in dry to sweet variations. Marsala Vergine Stravecchio (aged 10+ years) is a complex, nutty meditation wine that can compete with the best Sherries. Unfortunately, Marsala is often confused with the cheap cooking Marsala from the supermarket — the premium products from the major wineries (Florio, De Bartoli, Pellegrino) are a world of their own.

Wine Tours

The best wine regions for visitors: Etna (Benanti, Planeta, Passopisciaro — tasting with a volcano panorama), Marsala (Florio, Donnafugata — historic wineries), Vittoria (Sicily's only DOCG: Cerasuolo di Vittoria, made from Nero d'Avola and Frappato — an elegant red wine). Most wineries offer tours with tastings starting at 15–30€.