Sicilian wines, the largest italian islandSicily is a wide and varied land that contains terroir with absolutely different pedoclimatic characteristics, consequently Sicilian wines are very different from each other.
The history of wine in Sicily was born a long time ago, there is evidence that the vine grew spontaneously even before the arrival of the Greeks, to whom, however, goes the merit of having introduced techniques of breeding and winemaking, thanks to these innovations Sicilian wines were among the most famous and known during the Roman Empire.
Although several international grape varieties are cultivated in Sicily, in the last twenty years the native Sicilian grape varieties have been greatly revalued. Among the autochthonous Sicilian red grape varieties we find Frappato, Nerello Cappuccio or Mantellato, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d'Avola or Calabrese and Perricone or Pignatell; while in the autochthonous white grape variety Carricante, Catarratto, Grecanico, Grillo, Inzolia - also known as Insolia or Ansonica - Malvasia di Lipari, Moscato Bianco and Zibibbo.
Sicilian wine is produced practically all over the island even if the most interesting and recognized areas at national and international level are those of Marsala, Pantelleria, Lipari and Etna.
In the area of Marsala is produced the homonymous Sicilian liqueur wine, able in the past to contrast the absolute dominion of Port and Madeira.
Very important also the area of Pantelleria where the famous Sicilian sweet wine Passito di Pantelleria DOC is produced. The most important area, which in recent years is taking the international spotlight is Etna, where excellent Sicilian red wines and great Sicilian white wines are produced.
Among the most important wineries of the wines of Sicily should certainly be mentioned Frank Cornelissen.
