Wine Routes of Sicily: Marsala to Etna

Sicily produces more wine than any other Italian region. For centuries, quantity trumped quality. That era is over. Today, Sicilian wines compete at the highest international level, and the island's diversity of terroir -- from sea-level Marsala to the volcanic slopes of Etna at 1,000 metres -- creates a range no other region can match.

Marsala and the West

Marsala's fortified wine was an English invention. In 1796, John Woodhouse shipped barrels of local wine fortified with brandy to Liverpool. The Florio family industrialised production in the 1830s. Today, Florio and Pellegrino offer cellar tours and tastings in grand nineteenth-century warehouses. Dry Marsala Vergine is the revelation -- nothing like the cooking wine sold abroad.

The Etna DOC

Etna's wine revolution began in the 1990s when producers recognised that Nerello Mascalese grapes grown on volcanic soil at altitude produced wines of startling elegance. The best vineyards face north or northeast, catching morning sun and afternoon shade. Key estates: Benanti (the pioneer), Passopisciaro (Frank Cornelissen's natural wines), Tenuta delle Terre Nere, and Planeta's Etna estate.

Vittoria and Cerasuolo

Sicily's only DOCG wine comes from Vittoria in the southeast. Cerasuolo di Vittoria blends Nero d'Avola with Frappato, producing a medium-bodied red that pairs perfectly with the region's cuisine. Visit COS winery -- their amphorae-aged wines are extraordinary.

Planning a Wine Tour

A proper Sicilian wine tour requires a chauffeur. The distances between regions are significant (Marsala to Etna is 350 km), and tasting without driving is non-negotiable. GIORIZZ designs multi-day wine itineraries with cellar appointments, lunch reservations, and hotel transfers included. A single-day tour focuses on one region -- Etna or Marsala -- with visits to 2-3 estates.