Sicily | Wine region
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Sicily | Wine region
From the southernmost point of the Italian mainland, Sicily is separated only by the narrow Strait of Messina. The region includes, in addition to the largest island of Italy and the Mediterranean, the groups of the Egadi, Aeolian, Pegali islands and Ustica and Pantelleria.
The coast, 1,039 km long, presents itself rugged in the north, almost straight in the east towards the Strait of Messina, and is interrupted only by the Gulf of Catania, in the hinterland of which opens a wide plain. Then the coast becomes rugged again, rich in bays and small peninsulas. In the south it becomes more even again, with a single indentation at Gela. About four-fifths of the island is hilly or mountainous, the rest being plains. The only real mountain range is in the north of the island. The grandiose massif of Atna rises out of the landscape near Catania, and other active volcanoes are located on the smaller islands around Sicily.
In the interior, agriculture is still extensive and is largely organized as large estates. Here one finds the cultivation of cereals. On the coastal strips, citrus plantations are lined up. Sicily also plays an important role in olive growing. Viticulture has its main centers in the western part of the island, although the areas around Etna, Vittoria and Agrigento, for example, are also gradually becoming better known. Sicily, together with Puglia, is at the top of the Italian wine-growing regions in terms of quantity. But also qualitatively an enormous development has taken place in the last years through a systematic research of the native grape varieties such as Inzolia, Grillo, Cattarratto, Grecanico for the white grapes and Nerello Mascalese, Periccone etc. for the red varieties. The production areas for wines with indication of origin have been extended in the course of the reorganization by the law and so the proportion of quality wines has also grown steadily. The most famous wine of the island, besides the Nero d'Avola, is undoubtedly the Marsala, which is equally suitable as an aperitif and as a dessert wine. - Gerardo [TS01/23]
"From above, Sicily presents itself like a huge vineyard. It is no accident that when the ancient Greeks came to southern Italy, they conceived the name Enotria, translated as 'land of wine'.'" - Gambero Rosso
Classic: Etna Classic: Nero d'Avola Classic: Grillo
Classic: Etna Classic: Nero d'Avola Classic: Grillo
Sicily | Wine region | Buy at Gerardo
Sicily is the largest island in Italy and has a long and rich history in viticulture. The island has ideal conditions for growing grapes, with warm and sunny climate and volcanic soils that give the wine a unique mineral note. Sicily is known for its autochthonous grape varieties such as Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese and Inzolia. Nero d'Avola is the most widely planted variety on the island and is produced in many different regions. Nerello Mascalese and Inzolia are old varieties grown mainly in the Etna and Alcamo regions.
The wine producing areas in Sicily are divided into the regions of the west coast, the center of the island and the southeast. The west coast and center island regions are known for their wines made from the Nero d'Avola variety and the southeast region is known for its wines made from the Nerello Mascalese and Inzolia varieties. In recent years, viticulture in Sicily has developed greatly and many winemakers rely on modern technologies and methods to make their wines even better. For example, they use modern cellar technology and age their wines longer to achieve more depth and complexity. There are also more and more winemakers who specialize in organic and sustainable farming.
Some winemakers in Sicily have also begun to grow international grape varieties such as Syrah and Chardonnay to diversify their offerings and meet the tastes of different customers. Overall, viticulture in Sicily has developed impressively in recent years and the island has established itself as one of the most interesting and promising wine-growing areas in Italy. The variety of autochthonous grape varieties and the combination of traditional and modern techniques make the wines from Sicily special and unique. - Gerardo [TS01/23]