Red

Sicilian red wines

Sicily is a land with a very long history, cultural and artistic traditions. It is also a region known for its deep winemaking tradition. Sicily is an island able to enchant visitors with its landscapes and sea, but also with its red wines, some of which have a history spanning one hundred years.

Tradition says that the Greek people cultivated vines in Sicily for the first time, but it was necessary to wait until the eighteenth century before Sicilian wine experienced a great expansion and biodiversity, such as to place it in a prominent position in the world of wine, not only in Italy but also internationally.

Sicily is characterized by an area of ​​107 thousand hectares of vines, of which 5% in the mountains, 65 in the hills and 30 in the plains. Of the wine production, 16% is PDO, 44% PGI; out of the total, 53% are white wines. There are also 1 DOCG, 23 DOC and 7 IGT denominations.

The great variety of Sicilian red wines

Each area of ​​Sicily has its own peculiarities in terms of viticultural cultivation, either due to climatic conditions and soil characteristics. Each is characterized by red grape varieties. The red wines of Sicily are usually characterized by intense aromas and flavors, they are very full-bodied and mellow wines. Among the native varieties we have to mention Nero D’Avola, Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese, and Perricone.

Nero D’Avola is the prince of Sicilian red grape varieties, characterized by a very intense ruby ​​red color, which tends to take on notes of garnet tones with aging. Nerello Cappuccio, on the other hand, is a ruby ​​red wine, with shades more tending to purplish. It is characterized by an intense and full flavor, and a fruity aroma, which tends to become more pungent and alcoholic with aging. Nerello Mascalese shares the same shades that tend to ruby ​​red, but has a different body: it is a red wine that is particularly recognized for its finesse and elegance; it is moderately acidic and with tannins reminiscent of silk.

The wine produced instead from the Perricone grape is also ruby ​​red in color, and on the palate it appears as a full-bodied and dry wine. Frappato, instead, is a vine that gives life to very fruity red wines – always intense red in color – floral and pleasantly tannic.

Our wines and pairings

In our wine shop you will find the best red wines of Sicily, which are born from the union of the characteristic grapes of the area. Etna Rosso wine is a Nerello Mascalese that goes best with mushroom-based dishes, especially risottos and tagliatelle, preferably porcini mushrooms. It is also very good with mixed grilled meat. The Dea Vulcano wine, on the other hand, is a Nerello Cappuccio that goes well with most Sicilian cuisine, but goes even better with stuffed aubergines, tripe and amberjack alla Pantelleria.

The Rosso del Conte is a wine that comes from the combination of two grape varieties, Nero D’Avola and Perricone: with a gritty taste, you can combine it with aged cheeses, even very spicy ones, but also with stewed and roasted meat. You won’t disdain it even with chocolate. The Floramundi wine, which comes from the grapes of the Frappato and Nero D’Avola vines, also deserves a mention. Fragrant and fruity, it goes well with red meats, but is also very appreciable with swordfish, tuna and tasty fish soups.