The Sicilian viticulture comes from the Phoenician period. These great navigators knew already the grapevine. These people introduced for the first time this precious beverage in the Mediterranean. That is how Sicily learnt how to cultivate vineyards and how to transform the grapes into wine. But this art has been perfected by the Greeks, who landed in the VIII century b. C, becoming a true and real culture. The Sicilian revolutionized the typical habits and became the land’s experts, the professionnal not only of the vine but also the olive and the wheat cultivation. The viticulture developed with all the marks left by the numerous people who crossed the Sicilian land and became a sector of excellence transforming the island’s essence in what Pastena named a new civilization: the vine civilization.
Over the last 20 years, Sicily’s wine culture has seen tremendous changes, as confirmed by many of the international awards won by Sicilian producers – some of Italy’s best wines come from Sicily. A new generation of producers is exploiting the full potential of the enviable island climate, local grape varieties, and fertile soil. With now 112,700 hectares of vineyards is the island of Sicily, which also includes the volcanic island of Pantelleria in the southwest and the northeastern Aeolian Islands, the largest wine region in Italy. The Sicily wine region has been investing in sustainable production methods for more than 20 years.
