Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the richest regions in terms of history and art, a place where many great ancient civilizations crossed paths. Triangular in shape, Sicily includes several minor islands; such as the archipelago of the seven Aeolian Islands in the north, the three Egadi islands to the west and the island of Pantelleria in the south, among others. The region’s landscape is mostly hilly, yet there are a few mountainous areas and a few vast plains. Sicily and its islands also feature quite a few volcanos – and Mount Etna is in fact the largest active volcano in Europe. The country is also rich in a long winemaking history, with many areas of great excellence, thanks to its unique, uncontaminated terroirs. From Etna’s spectacular red and whites to Faro’s singular red to the sweet wines of the islands, made using almost exclusively native and ancient grapes, such as Nerello Mascalese, Carricante, Nero d’Avola, Grillo and of course Malvasia delle Lipari. The region’s vineyards extend 103,063 hectares (255,000 acres), producing 6.2 million hectoliters of wine per year. There is one DOCG and 23 DOCs.