Sicilian wine: labels, wineries and wine routes

In Sicily, among the island’s culinary treasures, Sicilian wine deserves a place of honour: the island is covered with vines and geographical settings that allow many different grape varieties to thrive, from the vineyards clinging to the slopes of Mount Etna to those rooted in the limestone soils of the Val di Noto, all the way to the smaller islands, where the grapes give life to the famous passito dessert wines.

Although the region has only one DOCG, awarded to Cerasuolo di Vittoria, it also boasts 23 DOCs, including the DOC Sicilia, created to protect native grape varieties on a regional scale, as well as several IGT labels. Let’s take a look at the different Sicilian wine labels, the places where you can taste them and the famous Sicilian wine routes.

Sicilian wine: types of labels and where to taste them

Sicilian wine, as we have seen, offers a wealth of labels but also plenty of places to taste them. Each label defines the island’s winemaking identity, and each wine has its own home territory, where producers also offer the chance to taste it in their wineries, among the rows of vines and at the tasting counters.

Nero d’Avola

Nero d’Avola is the most famous native red grape variety: it takes its name from the small town in the province of Syracuse and produces full-bodied, dark wines, rich in red fruit and with smooth tannins.

It pairs beautifully with both hearty meat dishes and more flavourful fish recipes. To try it on site, head for the Noto-Avola-Pachino triangle, where the wineries of the Noto and Eloro DOCs often offer visits with lunches based on local produce.

Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco

Among Sicily’s most famous wines, those made from the vines growing on Mount Etna cannot be missed, such as the red and white wines named after the volcano.

Etna Rosso is made from Nerello Mascalese (with small amounts of Nerello Cappuccio): it is a fine, vertical red of great elegance, capable of ageing for a long time.

Etna Bianco, on the other hand, is based on Carricante, rich in savouriness, acidity and minerality. The northern slope, between Castiglione di Sicilia, Randazzo and Passopisciaro, is the beating heart of the reds; if you are looking for Etna Bianco Superiore, you should head up to Milo, the village on the eastern side of the volcano.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Leading the island’s only DOCG is Cerasuolo di Vittoria, born from the marriage of Nero d’Avola (50-70%) and Frappato. The former brings excellent structure, the latter adds freshness, floral notes and the typical cherry red colour.

It is a very lively wine, enjoyable even at cellar temperature. The production area lies in the province of Ragusa, between Vittoria, Comiso, Acate and Chiaramonte Gulfi, just a stone’s throw from the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto.

Marsala

Marsala is undoubtedly one of the most famous Sicilian wines and is made from white grapes such as Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia. Here the differences come from the ageing time and the sugar content (ranging from Secco to Dolce, up to the Vergine and Superiore reserves). The best tasting experience takes place inside the old bagli, the historic wine estates overlooking the sea in Marsala, perhaps before a visit to the Stagnone salt pans.

Grillo and the whites of western Sicily

There is more than just Marsala: outside the fortified wine barrels, Grillo has become the best-selling dry white of the DOC Sicilia thanks to its citrusy, briny character.

Together with Catarratto and Inzolia, it dominates the hills between Trapani and Agrigento. For a tasting tour, the best area includes Alcamo, Salemi and Menfi, where it is easy to pair the wine with local olive oil and sheep’s milk cheeses.

Passito di Pantelleria

Passito di Pantelleria is made from Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) grown using the bush vine technique, now a UNESCO heritage practice. It is a dense, high-alcohol passito with aromas of dried apricot, figs and honey. On the island, tastings often take place at sunset, among the lava stone terraces, the walled Pantelleria gardens and the traditional dammusi, the island’s domed stone houses.

Malvasia delle Lipari

Produced mainly on Salina and to a lesser extent on Lipari, Malvasia delle Lipari is a blend of Malvasia and a small share of Corinto Nero. It comes in both dry and passito versions; on Salina, in the villages of Malfa and Leni, wineries offer tastings on terraces overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea with views of the neighbouring islands.

What are the Sicilian wine routes

If you would like to plan a proper road trip to discover Sicilian wine, you can follow the famous Sicilian wine routes, which take in different towns and areas depending on the type of wine you want to taste.

Etna Wine and Flavours Route

The Strada del Vino e dei Sapori dell’Etna lets you visit the villages around the volcano, such as Linguaglossa, Zafferana Etnea and Randazzo. While exploring these areas, you can combine tastings with a hike or a tour of Etna, perhaps with a good wine tasting included. The best time to visit is definitely autumn, during the grape harvest.

Val di Noto Wine Route

The Strada del Vino e dei Sapori della Val di Noto takes you on a route through Noto, Avola, Pachino and Rosolini, ideal for alternating different labels such as Nero d’Avola and Moscato di Noto while discovering Baroque architecture and the Vendicari nature reserve.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria Wine Route

The southern part of the island takes you to taste Cerasuolo di Vittoria across the provinces of Ragusa, Catania and Caltanissetta. Along the way you will find historic wineries, art towns such as Caltagirone, famous for its ceramics, and several food stops dedicated to Modica chocolate and Caciocavallo Ragusano DOP.

Terre d’Occidente Wine Route to taste Marsala

To taste Marsala, follow the Strada del Vino Terre d’Occidente, a route that takes you from Marsala to Mazara del Vallo and on to the salt pans. Besides fortified wines, you can also add a boat trip to the Phoenician island of Mozia, where vines grow just a breath away from the water.

Terre Sicane Wine Route

The Strada del Vino Terre Sicane covers the areas of Menfi, Sambuca di Sicilia, Montevago and Santa Margherita di Belice. It is a hilly area looking straight out to sea, renowned for its whites and for its very informal hospitality, and it pairs perfectly with a few beach days at Porto Palo di Menfi.

Province of Messina Wine Route

This is one of the routes least travelled by mass tourism and it is divided into three branches: Malvasia delle Eolie, Faro DOC on the hills overlooking the Strait of Messina, and Mamertino DOC on the Tyrrhenian coast. It is an excellent choice if you are looking for less crowded itineraries than the Etna or Trapani circuits.

Touring Sicily’s wineries means immersing yourself in ever-changing landscapes and tasting wines with very different flavours, each one a true expression of its territory.

Ciao Sono Iolanda, Nel 2010 ho deciso di ritornare nella mia magica isola, la Sicilia, affinchè l’esperienza acquisita negli anni precedenti prendesse forma lì dove ero nata.

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