Sicilia

Sicily is a historic wine-making island whose wine tradition goes back to the Greeks. Its landscape is particularly suited to wine growing thanks to hills and mountains enjoying a purely Mediterranean climate.

Over the last few years there has been a real renaissance of the Sicilian oenology thanks to increased producers’ awareness of quality and the introduction of international varieties like Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. This new approach based on quality has also been beneficial to the promotion of local grapes, such as the white varieties of Grillo, Grecanico, Catarratto, and Inzolia and the red varieties of Nero d’Avola and Frappato.

The most important wine-growing areas can be found in the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento, although also in the minor islands there are supreme wines, such as the raisin wines of Pantelleria and the malvasia of Lipari.

Vineyards total approximately 111,000 hectares* and the average production is over 4.5 million hectolitres*.

*2007 figures from the “Corriere Vinicolo” (wine news)