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    Sicilian wines


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    bottle_nero_davola

    Nero D’Avola
    This is the classic Sicilian wine: ruby red in color with intense aromas of vanilla and spice. On the palate it is bursting with bright cherry fruit, balanced acidity and exotic spices. It is produced in the southeastern side of the island, but also in the Palermo province where Duca di Salaparuta is located.
    bottle_bianco_dalcamo Bianco D’Alcamo
    This wine is produced from white catarratto grapes (up to 80%) and damaschino,grecanico, and trebbiano (up to 20%). It is considered the classic Sicilian white; it is fruity to the palate and has a straw-yellow with greenish highlights color.
    bottle_malvasia Malvasia

    Made from 85% Malvasia grapes, this sweet wine is made with techniques that have changed little over the centuries. The grapes are gathered when they are extremely ripe. The wine is amber-gold in color with an unusually alcoholic content.
    bottle_cerasuolo_di_vittoria

    Cerasuolo di Vittoria
    Made from 100% Nero d’Avola grapes grown 1,600 feet above sea level. The grapes are fermented for 18 days in temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks and then aged for 4 months in Allier barrique. The wine is ruby red in color with intense aromas of vanilla and spice. On the palate it is bursting with bright cherry flavor, balanced acidity and exotic spices.
    bottle_passito_di_pantelleria Passito

    The wine is made from the must of very well ripened grapes, to which are added naturally dried grapes in the sunny and windy climate of Pantelleria. Fermentation at controlled
    temperature lasts until the end of October.

    		Etna Rosso
    Made from Nerello Mascalese (80%) and Nerello Capuccio (20%), the resulting wine is a pleasant surprise to the palate. Etna Rosso wine combines a rich and warm bouquet with hints of spice and green bell pepper on the nose. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, with a smooth texture, ripe and forward fruit, soft tannins, mild acidity, and
    a surprisingly long finish.

    		Etna Bianco

    This wine is made from the Carricante and Cataratto grapes and other varieties from Milo. Straw-yellow with green reflexes in color, Etna Bianco wine possesses a fruity aroma and fresh taste.

    		Marsala

    Produced by the Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto white grapes among others, Marsala wine is characterized by its intense amber color, and its complex aroma that shows hints of strong alcohol flavor. Marsala wines are classified according to their characteristics and the duration of their aging.

    Sicilian
    grapes (red)

    Nero
    d’Avola

    Also known as Calabrese, it is rewarded as the most promising Sicilian grape. Widely cultivated in Avola, Noto and Pachino in the province of Syracuse, it produces wines such as Nero d’Avola and Cerasuolo di Vittoria.

    		 Frappato
    di Vittoria

    Cultivated since the 16th century around Vittoria in the Ragusa province, these grapes contribute up to 40% of the production of Cerasuolo di Vittoria (called so because of the cherry aroma).
    Nerello
    Cappuccio

    This vine is cultivated in the Messina province and is part of the DOC Faro.

    		 Perricone

    Also known as Pignatello, these grapes were cultivated in the provinces of Trapani and Palermo at the end of the 18th century. After decades of disuse, these grapes are used again.
    Nerello
    Mascalese

    This is the main cultivated grape of the Etna Valley and contributes up to 80% of the Etna Rosso. It produces wines with good tannins and that age well.

    		 Nocera

    Originally from the Messina province, these grapes are quite rare nowadays, but contribute to the production of the red Faro Palari.

    Sicilian grapes
    (white)

    Catarratto

    Catarratto is the most cultivated vine in Sicily and the second in Italy after Trebbiano. Used only for Marsala in the past, it contributes to the production of wines such as Contessa Entellina, Contea Sclafani, Etna, Monreale and Alcamo.

    		 No imageAlbanello

    Albanello grapes have been cultivated for centuries on Mount Iblea in the province of Ragusa.
    Inzolia

    Also known as Ansonica, it is mostly cultivated in the provinces of Agrigento, Palermo and Caltanissetta. These grapes are rich with sugar and contain low acidity.

    		 Carricante

    Cultivated throughout the island until last century, the trend of producing more alcoholic and structured wines forced the producers to decrease its use.
    Grillo

    Due to the low yield, these grapes represent only 3% of the Sicilian grapes today. Because of the freshness and elegance, these grapes are used to produce monovarietal wine.

    		 Minnella

    Typical of the Etna area, these grapes take the name from their shape, similar to a female breast.
    Grecanico

    Called after its homeland of Greece, it is often compared to sauvignon blanc. These blending grapes are ones of the few Sicilian ancients that are increasing in production.

    		 Moscato
    or Zibibbo

    Originally from Egypt, these grapes were extensively used by the Romans. They are mainly cultivated in Pantelleria.
    Damaschino

    Damaschino grapes probably arrived in Sicily during the Arab domination. Today, it is rare and tends to be substituted with catarratto.

    		 Malvasia

    Cultivated in the Messina province, these grapes produce the Malvasia delle Lipari.

    Some Sicilian Wine Producers

    Planeta; Cusumano; Tasca d’Almerita; Tenutadi Donnafugata; Feudo Principi di Butera (Zonin); Morgante; Duca di Salaparuta; Benanti; Palari; Firriato; Marco De Batoli; Salvatore Murana.