Top 100 wines of Sicily - Page 6

Discovering the wine region of Sicily

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.