Year after year, Sicily (and not just its winemaking) is becoming more and more famous in the world; few regions can boast such a combination of excellence as our great island at the end of the boot. Beautiful landscapes, architecture with traces of ancient Greece that the motherland can’t even imagine, a gorgeous sea and a mild climate that caresses the island even in winter. And then there’s the food, a traditional cuisine with strong natural flavours and wines that have topped the quality wine leagues in recent years, in Italy and abroad. And tourism is going well.

The regional DOC Sicilia

Twenty-four designations of origin, one of them “controlled and guaranteed” (Cerasuolo di Vittoria), demonstrate how suitable this land is for vinegrowing and winemaking; this island whose origins go back to the dawn of time. And if this is not enough, there is DOC Sicilia, approved in 2011, extending to the three corners of this island (hence the name Trinacria in ancient times) and covering the areas not included in previously-existing designations. It was a long a winding road to achieve this, but the foresight of those who really wanted it is now being rewarded.

This article is from Italian Wine Chronicle 3/2015. Read it for free