Sicily: A Land of Wine

When we think about the island of Sicily, located at the bottom of Italy, we usually recall scenes from The Godfather. But Sicily is a land of incredible natural beauty and wealth. If a food product is “made in Italy,” it likely came from the Sicily region. Many wineries also debuted in Sicily over the past few decades, and they offer great quality wine at lower prices. Here is what you should know about Sicilian wine.

A Brief History of Wine in Sicily

Although the industry of wine is just now starting to regain steam in Sicily, its history goes back a long way. In fact, 4,000 years ago, Sicilians first discovered the wonderful grapes from which Sicilians made wine. Today, only a few "tenute" (estate that produces wine) are world renowned with Gulfi being one of them. When you visit Sicily, a trip to their winery and a tasty dish at their restaurant is a must, but if you don’t have a trip to southern Italy coming up, you can order a bottle from Cavesa online.

Sicily came under the rule of various empires over the years, but it is the Greeks that really helped develop the production of wine in the region, thanks to their advanced viticulture techniques. In the not-so-distant past, Sicily was a bulk wine center that exported grape must, which was used to sweeten food. They shipped it throughout Europe and also as far as India and China. Today, bottles of wine from Mount Etna and Vittoria are catching the attention of wine lovers everyone – who can't seem to get enough, especially as those wineries’ prices are, remarkably, still rather low.

The Sicilian Grapes

Red Wines

Wine regions are often recognized for the grapes that they use, and that is also true of Sicily. The most famous grape varietal used to prepare red wine is Nero d'Avola, but you will also find many bottles that feature Frappato and Nerello Mascalese. The Nero D'Avola refers to a city located at the southern end of the island, although the truth is that this wine started being produced in another nearby town called Pachino many decades ago. Back then, the grapes were mostly used to produce the aforementioned grape must. Red wines made from the Nero D'Avola grape have a dark color and are strong on the palate. They feature a nice fruit taste with a touch of spice. It has gained the DOC certification, which means Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which guarantees that the grapes were grown in that specific region.

White Wines

Although Catarrato is the most used grape to produce white wine in Sicily, the most famous one is Grillo. When a restaurant serves wine by the glass, it is often a Grillo that they will pour. It is a medium-bodied dry wine that features a nice peachy accent. You can also find a large number of Inzolia bottles, which are a bit sweeter than Grillos. A few of the best-known white wines from Sicily come from terrains located at the base of Mount Etna.