Definition: Sicily 1

With an area of 25,500 km² and 27,700 km² including the satellite islands, it is the largest island in the Mediterranean, with approximately 1,000 km of coastline, and is also the largest of Italy's 20 wine-producing regions. It is an autonomous region with Palermo as its capital.

It has nine provinces: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Syracuse and Trapani. Traces of its Italian heritage can be found in its landscape, which features a mountain range formed as an extension of the Apennines, stretching from Messina to Termini Imerese. These mountains are called the Peloritani, Nebrodi and Madonie. The east of the island is marked by two large volcanic formations, Mount Etna in the north and the Iblei Mountains in the south. Mount Etna, with an altitude of 3,345 metres, is one of the only volcanoes still active in Europe and is the largest and highest. It is very unpredictable and regularly makes headlines. These eruptions make Mount Etna Sicily's main geological attraction.

The landscape of Etna is magnificent, with snow covering the ground for seven months of the year. These forest-covered regions feature vast natural parks such as Etna, which contrasts with the arid limestone hills and semi-desert plateaus of southern and western Sicily.

Sicily is surrounded by three archipelagos, the Aeolian, Egadi and Pelagie Islands, which are rich in flora and fauna. The climate is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The most pleasant months to visit the island are April and May, when the orange trees are in bloom. Rainfall is rare, making water all the more precious, so it should not be wasted. It is not uncommon for African winds to blow over the island. The sirocco raises the temperature. In August, when the mercury is at its highest, it is difficult to set foot outside. Sicily, land of Marsala and Nero d'Avola:

Sicily is a land of contrasts. So perhaps it is not surprising that this ancient island has one of the most progressive wine industries, nor that the region, which was once known for its powerful yet sweet Marsala and Moscato wines, is now moving towards lighter, fruitier wines, mainly white but also red.

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, has more vineyards than any other region in Italy. However, by focusing on quality rather than quantity, wine production has recently declined to slightly below that of Veneto.

A large part of the DOC is represented by Marsala, a wine created two centuries ago by English merchants. Marsala remains the pride of Sicily despite its trivialisation due to its use in cooking or its flavouring with various syrups. It has recently enjoyed a resurgence of interest among connoisseurs, who favour the dry Marsala Vergne and Superlioran Réserva with their warm, complex aromas, which place it among the best fortified wines in Europe.

The only other DOC produced in significant quantities in Sicily is the pale, dry Bianco d'Alamo, which is now part of the larger Alcamo appellation. Moscato di Pantelleria, from the island off the coast of Tunisia, is among the richest and most highly regarded of Italian sweet wines in its Naturale and Passito Extra versions. Malvasia delle Lipari, from the volcanic Aeolian Islands, is a dessert wine that is as rare as it is exquisite.

The dry white and red wines of Etna, whose vineyards are located on the slopes of the volcano, can show class, as can the pale red, yet powerful Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Production of other traditional DOCs such as Faro, a dry red, and the sweet Moscato di Noto and Moscato di Siracusa, has been minimal in recent times. However, the volume of top-quality wine is certain to increase soon with the recent addition of the Contessa Entellina, Eloro, Menfi, Sciacca, Sambuca di Sicilia, Contea di Sclafani and Santa Magherita Belice appellations to the DOC list.

Some wines from several renowned Sicilian producers have not been classified as DOC, although most of them are now covered by the IGT Sicilia appellation or other appellations. There is also talk of creating a DOC that would cover the entire region of Sicily. Nearly 75% of Sicilian wines are produced by cooperatives, and an increasing number of private estates are striving to create top-quality wines. Vine cultivation methods in the sunny, temperate hills have been modified to reduce yields in order to produce wines with real character and individuality. Recently, major producers from northern and central Italy have invested in vineyards on the island. International grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinots have shown real promise. However, some of the island's best wines are still made from local grape varieties, notably Nero d'Avola (or Calabrese), Nerello Mascalese and Perricone (or Pignatello) for reds, and Inzolia and Grecanico for whites. Sicily has taken the lead in wine production in the modern South, with producers increasingly determined to capitalise on the exceptional potential that was already admired thousands of years ago by the Greeks and Romans. In addition to its 19 DOC appellations, Sicily has 6 IGT appellations. Wines awarded "Tre bicchieri" (3 glasses) by Gambero Rosso 2007:

Benuara 2005, Cusumano Cometa 2005, Planeta Contea di Sclafani Rosso del Conte 2003, Tasca d'Almerita Contessa Entellina Milleunanotte 2003, Donnafugata Duca Enrico 2003, Duca di Salaparuta - Vini Corvo Etna Bianco Superiore Pietramarina 2002, Benanti Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo Quadro delle Rose 2004, Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Serra della Contessa 2003, Benanti Faro Palari 2004, Palari Merlot 2004, Planeta Montenero 2004, Abbazia Santa Anastasia Moscato di Pantelleria Mueggen 2004, Salvatore Murana Passopisciaro 2004, Passopisciaro Ribeca 2004, Firriato Tenute Dorrasita Nero d'Avola 2004, Cantine Foraci.

Palermo is the administrative capital of Sicily, whose other provinces are Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Ragusa, Syracuse and Trapani.

It is the largest of Italy's twenty regions in terms of area (25,710 km² - including the islands 17,700 km²) and the fourth largest in terms of population (5.1 million inhabitants) - (by comparison, Switzerland covers 41,285 km² and has 7,507,300 inhabitants). Vineyards cover 140,000 ha (Switzerland 14,846 ha - Sicily 9.5 times the wine-growing area of Switzerland), of which 23,000 ha are DOC. Annual production is 8.1 million hl, including 3% DOC, 90% of which is white wine.