According to legend, Dionysus was the God who brought pleasure to mankind, and wine to Sicily. What is not legend is that wine has been made in Sicily for many centuries. Today, wine is an integral part of the Sicilian diet. Go into any trattoria in a small town and ask for “vino locale” to accompany your meal and you will taste a wine that is virtually unchanged for centuries. Today, a new generation of young Sicilian agriculturalists is combining the excellent growing conditions and indigenous grapes with modern wine making techniques to produce some excellent wines. Until recently, most of the world’s only option for a Sicilian wine would have been Marsala, the famous fortified wine used in various Italian dishes. Though it has a reputation as a sweet wine, there are also some excellent dry aperitif varieties.

For wine lovers who are only familiar with the major grape varieties, Sicily provides a whole new experience. While standard grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown here, only the most knowledgeable connoisseurs have heard about many of the Sicilian grapes used. Nero d’Avola is a very popular grape that was once used for making reds that were thick, tannic and heavy. However updated techniques and modern equipment has transformed this grape into a standout. It is now used to produce a fruity wine that is comparable to a nice Syrah with hints of currant, clove and even vanilla.

The most popular grapes for whites are Catarratto Bianco, Inzoli, Grillo, and Damaschino. These grapes make wine that is ideally suited for the dry hot climate of Sicily and a cuisine that is heavy on seafood. It is these arid and scorchingly hot climactic conditions that once hindered the full potential of Sicilian whites, as the heat would start the fermentation process while the grapes were still on the vine. Modern techniques such as aggressive pruning of the vines and temperature control during fermentation has changed all this and now these under-appreciated grape varieties can get the credit they deserve.

Sicily is almost a nation unto itself. The enchanting land where Archimedes taught and Saint Paul preached was a Greek colony, a Roman province, an Arab emirate and a Norman kingdom. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Swabians, Angevins and Aragonese made Sicily their own, leaving behind an eclectic history that you can still touch today.

While visiting, it is easy to sign up for cooking classes and wine tours in between your visits to the beaches, classical churches, Mt. Etna, etc., as so much of Sicily can only be understood via their food and wine. Wonderful cheeses, pastas, artichokes and of course, olive oil all combine to accent the renowned seafood. To neglect to mention the Sicilian desserts would be a crime. Cannoli and other local specialties such as Cassata is a rich, sugary cake filled with the same delicious filling and Frutta di Martorana, almond marzipan pastries colored and shaped to resemble real fruit as well as gelato are worth saving room for.

One usually associates fine wines with eastern Sicily and the areas near Mount Etna, but many new wineries have sprung up across the island. A number of small wineries have emerged in recent years, but in many cases they have been producing wine for decades. These wineries now produce some of Sicily’s best wines. However, the recent popularity of Sicilian varietal wines and government subsidies for wine producers, has encouraged lawyers, doctors, haberdashers and other non-vintners to make wine for sale, usually with mediocre results. These should not be confused with the wines offered by various small but distinguished family-operated wineries.