THE LIGHTER SIDE OF SICILY
Once infamous for producing insipid jug wines and for being Italy’s well of concentrated must used to beef up more delicate northern bottlings, sunny Sicily has shaken off its bulk-wine image. Thanks to widespread focus on native grapes, organic viticulture, vineyard site selection, lower yields and careful winemaking, the largest island in the Mediterranean is now one of the country’s most exciting wine-producing areas.
Even though Sicily’s reds get most of the spotlight, its new generation of dry, radiant whites should be on every wine lover’s radar.
The region’s quality renaissance started tentatively in the 1980s and really got going in the ’90s. Initially, it depended on pioneering plantings of international grapes like Chardonnay and Merlot. But in the region’s largely hot, dry climate—ideal for organic farming—these varieties often yielded big, one-dimensional wines that had little personality and were shy on freshness.
As consumers turned toward more elegant, food-friendly wines, Sicilian producers rediscovered the island’s indigenous grapes. These natives thrive in Sicily’s varied terroirs that range from the hot, arid plains in the west to the cool, high-altitude slopes of Mount Etna in the northeast.
The best among the white offerings are made with Grillo, Catarratto, Carricante, Inzolia, Zibibbo and Grecanico, and
