Ten Sicilian Grape Varieties Everyone Must Know

Sicily is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean, and, although part of Italy, it has a strong history and culture all of its own.  

Due to its strategic position close to North Africa and to Europe, the island has been ruled by countless tribes and nationalities throughout history: Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Normans and Spaniards have all had their turn.  
 
Viticulture is thought to date back to at least the 8th century BCE when colonies of Greek settlers arrived on the island, though it could go back much further. 
 
The 20th century saw an influx of international grape varieties such as Merlot and Chardonnay, but these are playing a shrinking role today as winemakers’ interest in native grape varieties has reawakened.  

Here are ten notable Sicilian wine grapes, five red and five white, that will bring you closer to the island. 

The reds 

Nero d'Avola The most planted red grape on the island, Nero d’Avola is planted in all the main Sicilian wine regions. It’s named after the city of Avola in the province of Siracusa in the southeast of the island, from where it’s likely to originate.   It’s a vigorous, mid-ripening variety with broad leaves and large bunches that loves hot, dry conditions. It typically produces dark, robust red wines with black cherry and plum flavors, and it takes well to oak ageing.     Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola, is Sicily’s only DOCG to date.

Nerello Mascalese

Indigenous to Etna in northeast Sicily, Nerello Mascalese remains widely planted there. It produces fine, structured reds that are often fairly pale in color and typically display red berry and spice aromas. Etna wines from this variety can be very long-lived.

When grown at high elevation on these volcanic soils, it can give a perfumed expression, which explains why some people compare the grape to Nebbiolo. It’s a late-ripening variety that is often cultivated as bush vines, many of which on Etna are very old.

Nerello Cappuccio

Less widespread than Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio is also grown primarily on Etna, where up to 20% is allowed in DOC Etna Rosso. It’s a vigorous variety with compact bunches that’s valued in the blend for its soft, black fruit flavors, deep color and spice. It’s rarely produced as a varietal wine.

Frappato Another variety that is thought to be indigenous to the island, Frappato is grown mainly in the southeast of Sicily, around the province of Ragusa. Its thin-skinned grapes produce a light-colored wine with little tannin, juicy strawberry flavors and floral notes. It’s primarily used for blending, but some DOCs such as Erice and Vittoria allow varietal examples. It’s prized for its refreshing, bright and juicy nature.

Perricone 

Perricone is grown mostly in western Sicily, where it produces dark, powerful, structured wines. It was originally used primarily for Marsala Rubino, but today is gaining popularity as a dry red variety. It’s known for its strong tannins, which can be astringent in youth.

The whites

Catarratto

Sicily produces more white wine that it does red, and its most widely planted grape is Catarratto; in fact, it’s Italy’s second-most planted variety after Trebbiano Toscano.

A distinction is usually made between two main types of Catarratto: Catarratto Bianco Commune and Catarratto Bianco Lucido, but recent research shows they are in fact the same variety, just different clones.

Catarratto is grown all over Sicily, but mainly in the provinces of Trapani and Palermo. It long had a reputation for producing cheap, bulk wines; it’s also used to make Marsala.

Today, it’s increasingly recognized for its potential quality, producing a medium-bodied white with citrus and herb aromas, bright acidity and a mineral finish. 

Grillo Indigenous to Sicily, Grillo is mainly grown in the province of Trapani in the north of the island. This is where Marsala is made, and Grillo is one of the main varieties used in its production along with Catarratto and Inzolia.  Plantings have increased rapidly due to the popularity of its dry wines, and it performs well on its own and in a blend. When pure, it can produce a range of styles, but is typically full-bodied with lemon and herb notes.

Inzolia

 Inzolia, sometimes written Insolia, is widespread on the island; it’s cultivated to a lesser extent in Tuscany where it is known as Ansonica. In Sicily it’s one of the main grapes used in Marsala wine production, where it’s appreciated for its gentle aromatics.

More commonly grown for dry wine production today, it’s frequently blended with Grillo and Catarratto; varietal examples are often fairly neutral, with a light, nutty flavor. As well as for wine, its large, juicy berries also make it suitable as a table grape for eating.

Zibibbo Zibibbo is the Sicilian name for Muscat of Alexandria. It makes rich, golden sweet wines on the island of Pantelleria just off the southwest coast of Sicily, the most famous of which is Passito di Pantelleria, which is made by letting grapes dehydrate in the sun before processing. As the market for sweet wines like these has evaporated, Zibibbo is now being made increasingly as a fragrant dry wine with notes of apricot and lychee.

Carricante

 The main grape variety for DOC Etna Bianco, Carricante makes steely, taut wines with good acidity and minerality–properties which make for good ageing potential.

It’s late ripening, often grown as bush vines and thrives at high elevation on Etna’s black volcanic soils. Vines can be very long lived–if the vineyard isn’t destroyed by lava streams.