The Wines of Sicily: A Bright Future for Intriguing Native Grapes
by Anne Martin

For years Sicily, the island just off the toe of Italy’s boot, had a reputation for producing vast quantities of bulk wine, doing its bit to ensure that Italy was always the largest or second largest wine producer in the world. It is also known as the home of Marsala, the famous fortified wine of British invention. Due to its climate and geography, it has a long history of agriculture. Poor soils, hot Mediterranean summers, and low rainfall, combined with cool night time temperatures in the high hills, where 70% of viticulture takes place, make for perfect growing conditions for grain, olives and grapes. Although Sicilian over-production has been a long-running European scandal, there have been many changes since the late 1990s in the form of investment by northern Italian producers like Zonin and Girelli, and an influx of foreign consultants who have raised the bar at Sicilian-owned wineries.

There are three main macro-areas on the island, centred around the towns of Palermo, Enna and Ragusa. What makes Sicily such an interesting place to make wine, in a world where international grapes are increasingly taking over, is the wealth of indigenous varieties. They account for eighty percent of the island’s wine production and are, somewhat surprisingly, mostly white (75%), although most of the wines we see in this market are red. White grapes like Catarratto, Inzolia and Grillo make fresher, livelier and more aromatic wines than one would have thought possible at such southerly latitudes. The best-known red, Nero d’Avola, makes up 13% of the island’s vines. Its deep purple colour and robust structure make it perfect as a blending wine; today, however, it is making a name for itself as a classic Sicilian varietal in its own right. Other red grape varietals to look for are Nerello Mascalese, Perricone and Frappato. International grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah (which is well-suited to the mountainous terrain) are also grown on the island and are often blended with the native varietals. Many of the island’s top producers choose to forgo the twenty-two DOCs and the one DOCG and bottle their best wines under the more flexible, if less prestigious, IGT Sicilia designation.

The Italian Trade Commission in Toronto's technical tasting this year featured ten wines from Sicily, and I was pleased to taste some of these fascinating wines side by side. The whites were delicious - beautifully scented, refreshing and light, with distinct character. My favourite was the Zefiro Inzolia IGT 2008 with its green fig and citrus flavours on the palate. The reds were well-made and had more finesse than I expected. I particularly liked a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, which I found to be quite Nebbiolo-like, with ripe cherry fruit, pronounced acidity, warm mineral notes and an elegant, long finish – a great food wine. The most unusual wine in the lineup was the Scirafi Passito di Pantelleria, which comes from the volcanic island of Pantelleria, Europe’s most southerly land mass. Muscat d’Alessandria, unforgettably called Zibibbo here, is sun-dried into an orange liqueur-like richness. This one tasted of dried figs, oranges and apricots, with a hint of spice.

In a world gone mad for wines that make it difficult to identify their place of origin, Sicily, with all its history and cultural influences, offers a chance for wine lovers to have some truly extraordinary wine-drinking experiences. Here are some examples that can be found in your local LCBO right now:

1. Duca di Castelmonte Gibele Zibibbo Secco (white) 2008 (LCBO# 121103, $16.95): often sweet but dry here – unusual and aromatic

2. Montalto Nero D'Avola (LCBO# 621151, $9.95): good, inexpensive everyday drinking - medium-bodied, yet robust

3. Spadina Una Rosa Signature Nero D'Avola 2003 (LCBO# 10330, $16.80): my favourite product consultant, Joe Gentile’s pick

4. Feudo Montoni Vrucara Nero D'Avola (LCBO# 111286, $37.95): pricy for the region, but very impressive, with loads of character (leather, dried fruit, floral and some resin) in a modern style

Anne Martin is a Toronto-based sommelier, writer and wine consultant. Learn more about Anne, including her cellar and tasting services at www.annemartinwine.com.