WhiteLead grape in 5
Catarratto
Sicily's most planted white and, by area, one of the most planted vines in Italy. For most of the last century it went into Marsala or into the distillation schemes that mopped up Europe's wine surplus. Grown for wine on the hills behind Alcamo it gives lemon, fennel and a firm bitter finish, and it has quietly become interesting in the last fifteen years.
Worth knowing
Its recent history is about subtraction. Enormous acreages were grubbed up under EU vine pull schemes, and what survived tended to be the older, lower yielding, better sited vineyards. The grape improved because the worst of it was removed.
Where it is allowed11 appellations
Sicily11
- AlcamoDOClead grapewhite, min 60%Still hunting
- Contea di SclafaniDOCStill hunting
- Delia NivolelliDOCStill hunting
- EriceDOClead grapeStill hunting
- EtnaDOCStill hunting
- Mamertino di Milazzo (Mamertino)DOCStill hunting
- MarsalaDOCStill hunting
- MonrealeDOClead grapeStill hunting
- SalaparutaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Santa Margherita di BeliceDOClead grapeStill hunting
- SiciliaDOCStill hunting