Study / Region guides
Sicily (Sicilia)
1 DOCG and 23 DOCs. Examined in Unit 2: Central and Southern Italy.
- Borders
- Calabria, Sardinia
- Wine provinces
- Trapani, Agrigento, Palermo, Ragusa, Caltanissetta, Siracusa, Catania, Messina
The land
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and it is hot and dry. Irrigation and altitude matter more than anywhere else in Italy.
The west, around Trapani, is where most of the vineyard is, along with Marsala. The southeast has Vittoria and Noto. Etna, in the east, is a world of its own, with vineyards above 1,000 metres on black volcanic soil.
The small islands count too: Pantelleria toward Africa and the Aeolian Islands off the north coast.
The grapes
Catarratto is the most planted grape, followed by Nero d'Avola. Grillo and Inzolia are the other western whites.
Etna has its own grapes, Nerello Mascalese for red and Carricante for white. Frappato belongs to Vittoria and Zibibbo to Pantelleria.
Which grape leads which appellation
- Catarratto 1
- Alcamo
- Malvasia di Lipari 1
- Malvasia delle Lipari
- Nero d'Avola 1
- Cerasuolo di Vittoria
- Zibibbo 1
- Pantelleria
Local names
- Ansonica
- Inzolia, in Contessa Entellina, Santa Margherita di Belice
- Calabrese
- Nero d'Avola, in Alcamo
- Moscato d'Alessandria
- Zibibbo, in Pantelleria
- Pignatello
- Perricone, in Eloro
In the vineyard and cellar
Marsala is fortified and sorted by colour, sweetness and age. Bush vines are still the rule on Etna and Pantelleria.
History and trade
John Woodhouse began the Marsala trade in 1773. For most of the 20th century Sicily sold bulk wine, and its move to quality bottled wine dates from the 1990s.
The DOCGs
Oldest first. The year is when each one became a DOCG.
| Appellation | DOCG since | Grapes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerasuolo di Vittoria | 2005 | Nero d'Avola (50 to 70%), Frappato (30 to 50%) | Ragusa |
The DOCs
| Appellation | DOC since | Grapes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcamo | 1972 | Catarratto (white, min 60%), Nero d'Avola, Calabrese, Syrah, Cabernet, Merlot (reds) | Trapani, Palermo |
| Contea di Sclafani | 1996 | Nero d'Avola, Perricone, Catarratto, Inzolia, Grecanico, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Syrah | Palermo, Caltanissetta, Agrigento |
| Contessa Entellina | 1993 | Nero d'Avola, Ansonica (Inzolia), Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Grecanico | Palermo |
| Delia Nivolelli | 1998 | Grillo, Inzolia, Catarratto, Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon | Trapani |
| Eloro | 1994 | Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Pignatello | Siracusa, Ragusa |
| Erice | 2004 | Catarratto, Grillo, Inzolia, Müller Thurgau, Chardonnay, Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Cabernet, Merlot | Trapani |
| Etna | 1968 | Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio (red); Carricante, Catarratto (white) | Catania |
| Faro | 1976 | Nerello Mascalese (45 to 60%), Nerello Cappuccio (15 to 30%), Nocera (5 to 10%), Nero d'Avola, Gaglioppo, Sangiovese | Hills above Messina on the Strait, northeastern Sicily |
| Malvasia delle Lipari | 1973 | Malvasia di Lipari (95%), Corinto Nero (5 to 8%) | Messina |
| Mamertino di Milazzo (Mamertino) | 2004 | Nero d'Avola, Nocera (reds); Grillo, Inzolia, Catarratto (whites) | Messina |
| Marsala | 1969 | Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Damaschino (Oro and Ambra); Nero d'Avola, Perricone, Nerello Mascalese (Rubino) | Trapani |
| Menfi | 1995 | Chardonnay, Fiano, Grillo, Inzolia, Grecanico, Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot | Agrigento, Trapani |
| Monreale | 2000 | Catarratto, Inzolia, Grillo, Nero d'Avola, Perricone, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon | Palermo |
| Noto | Nero d'Avola (reds); Moscato Bianco (sweet whites) | Siracusa | |
| Pantelleria | Zibibbo (Moscato d'Alessandria) | Trapani | |
| Riesi | 2001 | Nero d'Avola, Cabernet Sauvignon (reds); Inzolia, Chardonnay (whites) | Caltanissetta |
| Salaparuta | 2006 | Catarratto, Grillo, Inzolia, Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Merlot | Trapani |
| Sambuca di Sicilia | 1995 | Nero d'Avola, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, Inzolia, Grecanico | Agrigento |
| Santa Margherita di Belice | 1996 | Catarratto, Ansonica (Inzolia), Grecanico, Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese | Agrigento |
| Sciacca | 1998 | Inzolia, Grecanico, Chardonnay, Nero d'Avola, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese | Agrigento |
| Sicilia | 2011 | Nero d'Avola, Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Frappato, Perricone, Nerello Mascalese, Syrah, Chardonnay | Entire island |
| Siracusa | Moscato Bianco, Nero d'Avola, Syrah | Commune of Siracusa, southeastern Sicily | |
| Vittoria | 2005 | Frappato, Nero d'Avola, Inzolia | Ragusa, Caltanissetta, Catania |
Facts that get tested
The kind of thing an exam asks about Sicily. Cover the answers and try them.
What is the blend for Cerasuolo di Vittoria?
Nero d'Avola with 30% to 50% Frappato. Nero d'Avola makes up 50% to 70% and Frappato the rest. It is Sicily's only DOCG.
Which grapes lead Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco?
Nerello Mascalese and Carricante. Etna Rosso is at least 80% Nerello Mascalese. Etna Bianco is at least 60% Carricante.
On Etna, what is a contrada?
A named district that can appear on the label. There are more than 130 official contrade, each tied to particular lava flows and altitudes.
Who began the Marsala trade in 1773?
John Woodhouse. The English merchant fortified the local wine so it would survive the voyage home. Ingham and Florio followed.
How long must Marsala Vergine age?
At least 5 years. Fine needs 1 year, Superiore 2, Superiore Riserva 4, Vergine 5 and Vergine Stravecchio 10.
What are the three colour categories of Marsala?
Oro, Ambra and Rubino. Oro and Ambra come from white grapes, Rubino from red. Only Ambra may have cooked must added.
Which grape is most prized for Marsala?
Grillo. Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia are the main white grapes, with Grillo valued for its body and sugar.
Zibibbo, the grape of Pantelleria, is also known as
Moscato d'Alessandria. Muscat of Alexandria. On Pantelleria it is grown as low bush vines in hollows dug to shelter them from the wind.
Malvasia delle Lipari comes from which islands?
The Aeolian Islands. Most of it is grown on Salina. A little Corinto Nero goes into the blend.
Faro DOC lies in which province?
Messina. It sits on the northeastern tip of Sicily facing Calabria, and is based on Nerello Mascalese.
Which is Sicily's most planted grape?
Catarratto. Catarratto covers more vineyard than any other variety on the island.
Which best describes Frappato?
Pale, light and aromatic. Frappato brings perfume and freshness to Cerasuolo di Vittoria, and is bottled alone as Vittoria Frappato.
Think you've got it?
Twenty questions on Sicily, with every wrong answer drawn from the region and its neighbours.
Quiz me on Sicily