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Sicilian Fine Wine

Sicily’s variety of wine styles reflects its blend of idiosyncratic terroirs and native grapes. Reds lead the way, with Nero d’Avola widely planted and rendered in an array of different styles, from rich and full-bodied, to fresh and vibrant, to spicey and earthy. Etna Rosso, made primarily from Nerello Mascalese, is today Sicily’s most celebrated premium wine, grown on volcanic slopes and known for its pale hue, high acidity, fine tannins and aromatic nuance. The polar opposite of the fleshy Nero d’Avola, its supreme elegance and lightness draws comparisons with Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir. White wines too are perhaps surprisingly engaging given Sicily’s hot conditions, with Grillo and Carricante the grapes to know. The latter is the variety behind most Etna Bianca, with the volcanic soils lending pronounced minerality and acidity.

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Sicilian wine history

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sicilian wine has a long history, dating back more than 3,000 years to the Phoenicians and Greeks who first introduced viticulture to the island. Sicilian wines were enjoyed throughout the Roman Empire, as they were under Arab and Norman control in the Middle Ages. The 19th century then saw Marsala, a fortified wine developed by British merchants, bringing the region wider fame.

In the 20th century, however, Sicily became known primarily for bulk wine, with overcropping and a focus on quantity over quality harming its reputation. It was in the 1990s that a quality revolution began to transform the island, with producers embracing lower yields, modern techniques and native grape varieties. The establishment of DOCs – not least Etna Rosso – have helped redefine Sicily’s wine identity, and today it is among Italy’s most dynamic, exciting regions. The island is home to a surprisingly wide variety of styles, thanks to its diverse microclimates and volcanic soils, especially around Etna.

Sicilian wine FAQs

What are the main grape varieties of Sicily?

Nerello Mascalese has become something of a hero variety in Sicily, most notably when grown on the volcanic slopes of Etna, where it delivers remarkably vibrant, bright fruit in a pale hue that draws comparisons with Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. Such comparisons are made still more viable by its naturally high acidity and fine tannins, with notes of red cherry and berry fruit often accented by herbal tinges. Nero d’Avola, meanwhile, more commonly associated with southern Italy, showcases richer, riper tones of darker fruit though, in the right hands, can still be quite perfumed and fresh. Look to the racy Carricante for whites – again, at its most nuanced in its Etna Bianco rendering.

Why is Etna seen as so exciting?

The volcanic soils of Etna deliver pronounced minerality and vibrancy to its wines, across both reds and whites. In recent years, more and more producers have sought to harness the potential of this terroir, and to produce wines of energy and verve that are hard to replicate anywhere else in Italy. The climate allows for many wines to be made organically, while the DOC is also home to several small-scale, boutique producers focused on quality above all else, and making wines in the light, refined fashion that is so in vogue today.

Sicilian Wine Producers

With the exception of the widely spread, larger-scale producer Planeta – which itself is family-owned – most of Sicily’s wineries are relatively boutique operations. Many of them are run by families, some who have farmed the land for generations, others who are new to viticulture, attracted by the region’s hugely exciting potential, not least in Etna. SRC is among the latter, the Parasiliti family farming 10 hectares biodynamically to produce red, white and rosé. Alberto Graci, meanwhile, returned to his native Sicily from Milan after a career in banking, convinced of the potential of Etna’s high-altitude plots, older vines and indigenous grape varieties. And then there is Barone Villagrande, over on the cooler eastern slopes, which has been in the Nicolosi family for over 300 years, and was instrumental in establishing Etna’s DOC status that has helped propel the region to fame.