6 Sicilian Wines You Must Know | Wine Folly

What makes the perfect wine country? Well, you probably have to have great wines, delicious food, incredible history, and while we're at it, let's throw in awesome beaches, palm trees, and it'd be nice if it was affordable, right? It seems impossible that a place like this would exist, but it does, and it's called Sicily. I'd like to introduce you to the six major wines that you should know from Sicily, aka Sicilia. Now, these grapes are native to the island and they grow almost nowhere else. Nero Diavola. Now, this grape variety has been likened to Cabernet. It first became famous in Sicily around the 1990s and has since really spread throughout the island. You can find it in the Marseille area, but also in the southeast, where it is the primary blending grape in the only DOCG on the island. That's called Cerasuelo di Vittoria. Taking a look at this wine, wow, we've got color in the glass. I can sort of see through it. I would say this looks to be a medium ruby color. Giving it a whiff, I get both red and black fruits, so raspberries, black cherries, black plum, a little mineral note of almost hot dried stones, a touch of floral hibiscus, almost perfumed, and this subtle green note, very subtle, almost like fresh dill. Let's give it a taste. On the palate, wow, this wine has a lot of lift in it. The body is medium, maybe leaning slightly towards medium plus, but it has this juicy rich palate, almost like macerated sweet cherries that leads into this long brooding yet tart finish. I get cherry notes even on the finish and a little bit of floral. What a wonderful wine. It has that sweetness of fruit, but enough acidity so it doesn't taste super heavy on your palate. It's very scrumptious. Caterato. Now this is a white grape variety as actually the most prolific on the island where it is predominantly used in Marsala production. That being said, we have an example of a dry wine right here. Let's take a look at the color. This wine has a lot of really rich color, maybe a medium gold color on the nose. Wow. More tropical fruit. We've got papaya, guava, almost like unripe banana, a chalkiness like wet limestone, and this floral character but sweet like vanilla bean. On the palate, this wine is really surprisingly good acidity. It has these lemon flavors and then it leads into this almost smoky sweet sassafras thing in the mid palate. The mid palate is quite big and then I get this tingly sort of dry lean finish. Very complex wine. There's a lot going inside the glass. Surprise for a grape that's typically used in Marsala. Norello Mascalese. Now this might just be the latest it girl in Sicily's wine selection. This grape variety has been likened to Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo because of its really delicious red fruit flavors and structured age-worthy tannin. Now you'll find it only in a few places and mostly on Mount Etna where it grows in these black intense volcanic soils. This looks to be a pale ruby to garnet color again. Very brickish in the color. Let's give it a sniff. Wow. Rich aromas of cherry sauce, rose, a little bit of baker's chocolate, red licorice, and a minerality almost like hot stones. Let's give it a taste. What's interesting is that you get this explosion of fruit right up front that leads into this long tingly smooth finish that has a lot of minerality to it and on the aftertaste I almost get flavors of roses and cherries like sweet cherries on the finish. Now this grape variety is catching people's attention because of its super high acidity and age-worthy style where it develops almost petrol-like flavors not unlike a dry Riesling would. This wine you'll find mostly growing around Mount Etna where it is used in Etna Bianco. Look at the color of this wine. It is almost a deep gold color. Let's give it a sniff. On the nose, lemon, lime peel, almost a little bit of nectarine, this salty saline-like note, allspice, and a touch of candied ginger, and I get this little whiff of kerosene. Now this wine right here is approximately four years old from the date that we're tasting it. Let's give it a taste. Oh my goodness, on the palate I get lime, citrus notes, and almost this dusty chalky character. Whoa, this wine for lovers of Riesling, especially fine-aged Riesling, Caracante is not something you can live long without. Frappato. Now this grape is loved for its super light body and really candied fruit flavors, and fun fact for you, it is extremely rare. There's only about 2,000 acres planted in the world and mostly on the island. Now you'll find it used as a single varietal wine, but it's also the other blending partner in the DOCG Cerasuelo di Vittoria. Taking a look at this wine, it is a pale color. I can see through it, translucent, maybe pale ruby to garnet color. Very delicate fruit flavors come through. All red fruits, sweet raspberries, cherries, a little bit of strawberry, almost dried fruit in its character, violet, earl gray tea, this almost subtle smell of roses or dried rose petals, and then this subtle whiff of almost like a natural latex or natural rubber. All right, let's give it a taste. The palate is very smooth and I get this aftertaste of really nice dried berry flavors and almost like dried roses on the finish. Easy to drink wine, very gushable. This is Frappato, a great example coming from Sicilia. Grillo. Now this grape variety was not very popular in the 1950s and 1960s because it is such a low production grape vine. That being said, it was still used in Marsala and we started to make dry wines with it. This grape variety is really surprising because it makes these really fresh almost Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Grigio style wines but grows in sandy soils close to the beach in a warm, warm climate. All right, let's take a look at this wine. Looking at the color, this looks to be a medium yellow color and on the nose, whoa, intense aromas of mango, papaya, a little bit of mandarin orange, a salty flavor almost like salted caramel, wet flint rocks, and this subtle grassiness. Let's give it a taste. When you taste this wine, you get this broad sensation of fruit. It's almost like apple or spiced apple. Then it goes into this grassy, almost tingly finish with this texture of almost like saltiness on the finish. Very fascinating wine. I would say if you like a warm climate Sauvignon Blanc, this is something to explore and investigate or maybe even a Viognier or a Chenin Blanc. This wine has a really interesting style. I've never really tasted anything like it because it's so warm climate and yet high acid at the same time. Grillo. So I hope this little adventure into the major wines of Sicily has got you excited and curious to taste these wines. They really are this fascinating and delicious if you are looking for value and if you want to find individual wines, definitely check out the guide on Winefly. We have a complete guide with the producers, their wines, history, terroir, that if you're traveling there's some tips on how to get around. Explore it in more in detail and in depth all at winefolly.com. And until next time, happy drinking and peace out.