Beyond the Strait of Messina, Sicily is highlighting not only for the great production, which in 2009 gave about 6,175,000 hl of wine, for white,, but above all for some wines of absolute excellence, linked both to vines autochthonous such as nero d'avola and inzolia, and to some internationals such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and chardonnay.
Viticulture develops above all in the western zone and in the province of Trapani, land of Marsala DOC; here is more than 50% of the vineyard area.
Strange case, that of Marsala. Much appreciated a time, fallen into disgrace in the '60s for a heavy fall in image, thanks to a more recent disciplinary precise and rigid lately is giving good results.
The most characteristic white grape varieties are catarrattes, inzolia or ansonica, the golden grecanico, the damaschino and the cricket, which are the basis for the production of most of the white wines. Among those with red berries you can mention the Calabrian or black d'Avola, the nerello mascalese, the perricone or pignatello and the frappato, which give very encouraging results in different areas. Although it is appreciated for some great dry wines, Sicily is still much loved for the golden colors of its sweet dessert wines, for their aromatic nuances and the velvety softness of taste, unmistakable in Malvasia delle Lipari and Moscato Passito di Pantelleria, obtained from zibibbo or Muscat of Alexandria.
