Sicily is the Southernmost region of Italy, and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. For over 2500 years, Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) has been an important centre of Mediterranean viticulture, although the reputation and style of its wines have changed considerably over time. The island was once best known for its Sweet muscatels (see Pantelleria), and later for its fortified Marsala. Today, many of its best-known wines are Dry table wines produced under the regional designation IGT Terre Siciliane, or Sicilia DOC (see below).
At its widest point, Sicily measures 280 kilometers (175 miles) from east to west, and about a third of that distance from North to south. Its roughly triangular shape earned the island the nickname Trinacria (the triangle) in the Middle Ages and is reflected in the triskelion (a three-pronged pattern) at the Center of the regional flag. With constant sunshine and moderate rainfall, Sicily's classic Mediterranean Climate is ideally suited to wine Grape production. The Warm, dry climate means that mould and rot are kept to a minimum, especially in well-ventilated areas that benefit from coastal breezes.
A very ancient grape variety still grown today in western Sicily. Very often associated with catarratto and inzolia, it produces the famous Marsala liqueur wine. It is also increasingly being vinified as a single variety and produces excellent dry wines full of freshness and fruitiness. Grillo is believed to be the result of an intra-fertile cross between catarratto and Muscat of Alexandria or zibibbo, obtained in 1869 by Antonino Mendola. It is represented by two biotypes that can be easily recognized, but it seems that winegrowers attach little importance to them. Little known in other Italian regions - in Liguria it is known as "rossese bianco" - it can also be found in Australia and South Africa. It is not widely grown in France, although it is interesting because of its ability to withstand hot climates and drought, and to ripen quite late.
natural sweet wines from the region of Sicily go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or spicy food such as recipes of venison stew with red wine, chicken with merguez and tomatoes or dal lentils with coconut milk.
On the nose in the region of Sicily often reveals types of flavors of chocolate, caramel or raisin and sometimes also flavors of almonds, fig or nutty.
