Wine Routes

Thanks to its geographical location, its soil, and, above all, its climate, Sicily has always been one of the primary wine-producing regions in Italy. In the past the wine produced in Sicily was used primarily for blending, however, during the past ten years both the new and historic Sicilian wineries have changed course to concentrate on quality and in just a few years Sicily has gained a reputation thorughout the world for fine wine resulting in a growing demand for wines that are "Made in Sicily".
There are three main wine-producing regions on the island:
The first and most important is the area that includes the provinces of Trapani and Palermo. Here, after a period of experimentation, wines from native and non-native varieties have been developed that are now considered amongst the finest produced on the island. Included in this area are the neighbouring towns of Agrigento, Enna and Caltanisetta, all in the western part of Sicily; the second is the area around Mount Etna in the province of Catania and the area around Messina which has a relatively small production; the third area comprises the provinces of Syracuse and Ragusa in the extreme south of the island where a number of important wineries are now located.
Other areas worthy of note include the island of Pantelleria and the archipelago of the Aeolian islands which are renowned for their production of sweet and dessert wines.
The traditional varieties cultivated on the island include: red grape varieties such as Nero d'Avola (today experiencing a significant renaissance in the market), Nerello Cappuccio and Mascalese, Carricante, Nocera, Perricone and Frappato; white grape varieties such as Catarratto, Grecanico, Grillo, Inzolia, Malvasia delle Lipari and Zibibbo or Moscato.
In addition to the traditional varieties listed above, today there are numerous non-traditional varieties grown on the island which include: red varieties such as Cabernet-Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Merlot; white varieties such as Chardonnay, Viognier, Muller Thurgau and Sauvignon blanc.
We have created a number of itineraries by province which include the major Sicilian wine producers where you can visit and taste their wine. For those of you who are particularly interested in wine tours, we recommend the western area of Sicily, especially the provinces of Palermo, Trapani, Agrigento, Enna and Caltanisetta where the majority of Sicilian wineries are located.