Everything to Know About This Italian Region
If we consider Italy to be the shape of a boot, Sicily sits just two miles offshore of its toe in the heart of the Mediterranean, separated from the African continent by just 87 miles. The large island is surrounded by several smaller islands on which wine is made, such as the Aeolian Islands, and Pantelleria. In general, it enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot summers, mild and wet winters, and strong differentiation between seasons.
For winemaking purposes it can be divided into several regions including Northeast, Southeast, Central Sicily, Western Sicily, and the islands. The Northeast includes Mount Etna, on which 80 percent of the soils are volcanic. The highest peak on the island, this active volcano soars to 10,991 feet and has a base circumference of 87 miles. The main towns in the Northeast are Messina and Catania, and the most important DOCs are Etna, Mamertino de Milazzo, Faro, and Malvasia della Lipari from the island to the north.
Southeast Sicily is home to the towns of Vittoria, Ragusa, and Siracusa and the Eloro, Moscato di Noto, and Moscato di Siracusa DOCs. This area includes the Iblean Plateau which is home to three small volcanoes and is one of the hottest and driest on the island. Altitudes range from sea level to 984 feet. In the Central Sicily region, where elevations go from sea level to 2,300 feet, rainfall can be up to 23 inches per year. It runs from Palermo in the north to Agrigento in the south and contains most of the island’s denominations such as Marsala, Erice, Menfi, Sambuca di Sicilia, and Santa Margherita Belice. Western Sicily is dominated by mountains such as Monte Cammarata, which tops out at 1,578 feet above sea level as well as Monte Zimmara, and Monte Altesina. Closer to Tunisia than it is to Sicily, the island of Pantelleria is covered with volcanic soil perfect for the cultivation of the sweet Zibibbo grape.
