Sicily
Hot Mediterranean
The Mediterranean's largest island, making Nero d'Avola, the volcanic wines of Etna, sweet Zibibbo from Pantelleria and Marsala.
Overview
About Sicily
Sicily is a varied island. Nero d'Avola is its leading red, and Cerasuolo di Vittoria blends it with Frappato. On the slopes of Mount Etna, Nerello Mascalese and Carricante grow at altitude on black volcanic soil, and the island's western end is known for Marsala, a fortified wine, and for the sweet passito wines of Pantelleria, made from Zibibbo.
Once known for bulk wine, it now has many quality-focused estates.
Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.
Italy
Shaded: Sicily. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Hot Mediterranean
Hot, dry summers and mild winters, with sea breezes and, on Etna, the cooling effect of altitude.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Black volcanic soils on Etna, limestone and clay inland, and sandy soils near the coast.
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
Planeta
A large family estate with vineyards across the island.
Donnafugata
Marsala and Pantelleria; known for the sweet Ben Ryé.
Tasca d'Almerita
A historic estate in the central hills.
Benanti
Etna; an early quality producer.
Cos
Vittoria; a leading estate for Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
Within Sicily
Appellations
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Sicily's only DOCG: a bright, cherry-scented red blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato from the island's flat, limestone south-east.
Etna
Vineyards on the black volcanic slopes of Europe's largest active volcano, making perfumed, structured wines that read closer to Burgundy than to the rest of Sicily.
What's grown here
Grapes
Grapes linked to Sicily or to a place within it. Each grape's page links back here.