Wine

Great Sicilian Wines

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.	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.
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.	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.
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 produtcion 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 prodoction 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.	Albanello 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; Tenuta di Donnafugata; Feudo Principi di Butera (Zonin); Morgante; Duca di Salaparuta; Benanti; Palari; Firriato; Marco De Batoli; Salvatore Murana.