Sicily

With a land area of 25,703 square kilometres, the Italian region with the capital Palermo is the largest in the country and also the largest island in the Mediterranean. It is located south-west of Calabria, the "tip of the boot" of Italy. It also includes the island of Pantelleria to the south-west (83 km²) and the Aeolian Islands to the north-east (115 km²).

History

The Greeks founded several colonies on Sicily from the 8th century BC and named it Trinacria after its triangular shape. They later gave it its final name after the Siculi mountain people. They brought their wine-growing techniques and vines with them, including the ancient Eugenia and Murgentina varieties.

These were later brought to central Italy and planted. As the "Pompeian grape", the Murgentina grew particularly well on the volcanic soil on the slopes of Vesuvius in Pompeii in Campania and in the ancient Etruscan city of Clusium (Chiusi in Tuscany). The cities of Syracuse and Taormina (on Mount Etna) developed into flourishing wine trading centres. There is documentary evidence of vineyards from the settlement of Akragas (Agrigento) from the 5th century BC. Sicily played an important role in the development of Italian viticulture.

Ancient wines

After the centuries-long Second Punic War, the island became a Roman province in 212 BC and was mainly used as a granary. The ancient wines mentioned by Pliny the Elder (23-79) include two from Sicily. The first is a Mamertinum from Messina, which was supposedly prized by Julius Caesar (100-44 BC). The second is a Haluntium from Syracuse, whose successor could be the Moscato di Siracusa.

From the 7th to the 9th century, Sicily came under Ottoman rule. Although they tolerated viticulture, they mainly produced sultanas. The Ottomans brought with them the art of distilling, which was adopted by the Catholic orders. In the Middle Ages, grain was the most important agricultural product. From the 14th century onwards, vineyards expanded and Sicilian wines were exported to northern Italy and Constantinople.

Growing areas

The vineyards cover 95,760 hectares, making Sicily by far the largest Italian wine-growing region (more than Germany or almost three times Austria). They are located at up to 900 metres above sea level, mainly in the west and south-east. The Mediterranean climate is characterised by very hot, dry summers with little rainfall and temperatures often above 30 °Celsius as well as mild and humid winters.

The hillside locations with intense sunshine and large temperature fluctuations between day and night provide very good conditions for viticulture. The soils are largely of volcanic origin. In 2005, Cerasuolo di Vittoria was the first DOCG classification on the island. Sicily has the largest proportion of organically cultivated areas in Italy. The IGT(regional wines), DOC and DOCG(quality wines) areas are:

• Alcamo (DOC)
• Avola (IGT)
• Camarro (IGT)
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria (DOCG)
• Contea di Sclafani (DOC)
• Contessa Entellina (DOC)
• Delia Nivolelli (DOC)
• Eloro (DOC)
• Erice (DOC)
• Etna (DOC)
• Fontanarossa di Cerda (IGT)
• Faro (DOC)
• Malvasia delle Lipari (DOC)
• Mamertino di Milazzo or Mamertino (DOC)
• Marsala or Vino Marsala or Vino di Marsala (DOC)
• Menfi (DOC)
• Monreale (DOC)
• Noto (DOC)
• Pantelleria (DOC)
• Riesi (DOC)
• Salaparuta (DOC)
• Salemi (IGT)
• Salina (IGT)
• Sambuca di Sicilia (DOC)
• Santa Margherita di Belice (DOC)
• Sciacca (DOC)
• Sicilia (DOC)
• Siracusa (DOC)
• Terre Siciliane (IGT)
• Valle Belice (IGT)
• Vittoria (DOC)

Grape varieties

White wine varieties predominate, the most important being Ansonica (Inzolia), Carricante, Catarratto Bianco with the varieties Catarratto Bianco Comune and Catarratto Bianco Lucido, Chardonnay, Fiano, Grecanico Bianco/Lucido (Garganega), Grillo, Malvasia di Lipari, Minella Bianca, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc), Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc), Trebbiano Toscano, Viognier and Zibibbo (Muscat d'Alexandrie).

The most important red wine varieties are Alicante (Garnacha Tinta), Cabernet Sauvignon, Calabrese (Nero d'Avola), Carignano (Mazuelo), Frappato, Merlot, Gaglioppo, Mondeuse (Mondeuse Noire), Nerello Mantellato (Nerello Cappuccio), Nerello Mascalese, Nocera, Pignatello (Perricone), Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), Sangiovese od. Corinto Nero and Syrah.

The production of table grapes occupies a leading position. Sweet wines were already a speciality of the island in ancient times, and this has not changed to this day. Towards the end of the 18th century, the Englishman John Woodhouse invented the dessert wine Marsala, which made the island famous as a wine supplier. The vast majority of wine production is used for distillation or for mass-produced wines with a simple character.

Producers

The best-known producers on the island include Abazzia Santa Anastasia, Adragna, Ajello, Alagna, Alcesti, Benanti, Calatrasi, Ceuso, COS, Cusumano, Marco de Bartoli, Cusumano, Donnafugata, Duca di Salaparuta, Fatascià, Feuda Principi di Butera, Firriato, Florio, Geraci, Judeka, Marchiopolo, Morgante, Maurigi, Salvatore Murana, Nanfro, Occhipinti, Palari, Pellegrino, Planeta, Principi di Spadafora, Rapitalà, Settesoli, Tasca d'Almerita and Valle Dell'Acate.

Image left: by Fabio Ingrosso - Flickr: Cantine Settesoli, CC BY 2.0, Link
Image on the right: by Peter H on Pixabay