Sicily is home to Greek temples, dramatic coastlines, Baroque churches, and Mount Etna. There are stunning places to visit in Sicily, such as the Greek town of Taormina and the quintessentially Mediterranean Cefalù. This is an island of dramatic beauty, with its gorgeous islands (Pantelleria, where the famous Passito is made; the Aeolian islands of Stromboli, Lipari, Vulcano, and Salina; and the microscopic Pelagian Islands of Lampedusa, Linosa, and Lampione). Much of Sicily lies at a more southerly latitude than Tunisia and is Italy’s hottest, driest region. More than an island, many describe Sicily as a mini-continent!
The wine styles of Sicily are varied. Rustic, local wines are often surprisingly good and accompany the local flavors of pistachios, capers, almonds, all citrus fruits, tuna, and swordfish. Inzolia is considered to be the best local white varietal and is used in mono-varietal wines along with blends with Catarratto, Grecanico, Grillo, Malvasia, Zibibbo, and of course, non-Italian varietals like Chardonnay.
The flagship red grape is Nero d’Avola, an exotically spicy and sexy wine. It is often blended with Syrah. Other red grapes used extensively in Sicily include Frappato (very light cherry-scented red), Nerello Mascalese, and Perricone.
Principal wine towns in Sicily include Marsala, Messina, Noto, and Ragusa.
