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Sicily wine region is one of the most known wine regions in Italy. The territory is fascinating and strange, with strong colors like the deep blue sea and the black slopes of Etna. The region has a vineyard area almost double than Tuscany and a wine history that started even before Greeks came to the island.[1]
History
Wine growing in Sicily started big changes only in the 1950s. It was a poor but wide economy, mostly white grapes, making millions of hectoliters of sweet strong wine for central and north Italy. Modern winemaking in Sicily became clear only from 1990 when the Regional Institute for Wines and Oils did research and small wine trials. Old grapes like catarratto and trebbiano were reduced and replaced with Nero d’Avola, chardonnay, merlot and syrah.[1] Even before that, wine in Sicily is very old. People think vine grew wild here before humans. Phoenicians helped spreading it, Greeks improved methods and brought new vines, Romans, Normans and Aragonese made it famous in Europe.[2]
The big lucky moment for Sicilian wine was 1773, when an English merchant John Woodhouse shipped Marsala wine adding alcohol and made it strong for shipping. Later in 1870 French vineyards were hit by phylloxera, Sicily’s vineyards expanded but soon the disease arrived also here.[3] From 1970 Sicily changed winemaking style. High alcohol strong wines became less important. Fresher, fragrant wines grown with old vines and local grapes like Catarratto, Grillo, Carricante, Frappato, Nerello and Nero d'Avola became popular. International grapes like Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah were also used.[3]
Climate and Territory
Sicily is big, biggest Italian island, 26,000km². Surrounded by small islands like Eolie, Pelagie and Pantelleria. Climate is mostly Mediterranean with hot summers and mild winters. Inland can be continental or even alpine near Etna.[1] The north-east is mountainous, Etna volcano dominates, soils made from lava, ash and sand. South is mostly calcareous and volcanic. Central-south is hilly, mixed soils, good for both local and international grapes. South-east is calcareous and volcanic, great for Nero d’Avola. Eolie and Pantelleria have grey tuff, wind and sun make grapes very aromatic.[1]
Grapes
Vineyard area is about 103,000 ha: 65% hills, 30% plains, 5% mountains. Whites are 53% of production. 16,000 ha are organic. Most common training systems are guyot, cordone speronato and alberello. Local grapes give fame to Sicily. Marsala is made with Inzolia and Grillo, Passito di Pantelleria with Zibibbo, Malvasia delle Lipari also famous. Red grapes: Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato. White grapes: Grillo, Inzolia, Catarratto, Zibibbo, Carricante. [4]
Wine Zones
Wine harvest lasts over three months, starting early August in west for white grapes, until November or early December on Etna. Zones: Trapani, Central, Messina & Etna, Siracusa and Ragusa.[1]
Trapani: Marsala DOC, symbol grape Grillo, grown in sandy/rocky coastal soils, fresh whites and structured reds.
Central: Palermo, Agrigento, Nisseno provinces, grapes like Syrah, Nero d’Avola, Inzolia, wines aromatic and full of personality.
Messina & Etna: Mamertino wine with Nocera grape, Malvasia delle Lipari on Eolie, Etna wines on terraces with lava soil rich in iron, copper and potassium, south side warmer, east side fine, north side big structure.
Siracusa & Ragusa: Iblei plateau, Moscato di Noto and Siracusa face Ionian sea, Nero d’Avola and Frappato give fresh fruity notes in Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Nero d’Avola shows elegance and aging.[1]
Vineyards cover 103,063 ha, 5% mountains, 65% hills, 30% plains. Wine production 6,242,000 hl, 16% DOP, 44,2% IGP. Red & rosé 47%, white 53%. Wine denominations: 1 DOCG, 23 DOC, 7 IGT.[3]
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