C 150/66
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
5.4.2022
Sicily is a region with one of the oldest winegrowing traditions in the world, as evidenced by archaeological finds and by the many Greek and Latin literary sources that refer to the renowned Sicilian wines.
Trade in oil and wine dating as far back as the time of the Phoenicians (9th - 4th century BC) is proven by the presence of amphorae used for transport and other types of ceramics.
The great splendour of the vineyards could be seen during the time of Greek settlement in the area (8th - 3rd century BC), with the Greeks introducing a number of grape varieties such as Grecanico, which is still grown today.
The existence of Sicilian wine is confirmed in Roman times (3rd century BC 5th century AD), particularly at the time of Caesar in Gaul.
Although drinking alcohol was prohibited by the Koran, table grapes were grown during Muslim rule (827-1061) and the ‘Zebib’ grape variety (now Zibibbo or Moscato di Alessandria) was introduced on the island of Pantelleria, having been brought over from Africa’s Cape Zebib, which faces Pantelleria.
The link between the demarcated geographical area and the ‘Sicilia’ DOC is based on the specific soil, climate and landscape features in the area.
The northern part is predominantly mountainous and the central, southern and south-western parts are hilly.
The south-eastern part of the area is a typical plateau and eastern Sicily is volcanic.
The lowland areas are mainly concentrated along the coast.
However, most vineyards are found in hilly areas that, in terms of exposure and location, are particularly suitable for growing vines, i.e. very sunny environments with sufficient wind, which provide the plants with optimal growing conditions, ensuring the health of the grapes and allowing high-quality wines to be produced.
Thus, the Mediterranean climate, which is sunny, with hot, dry summers, yet breezy, allows the grapes to ripen very well and favours the accumulation of sugars and concentration of extracts, while the varying temperature ranges and the rich mineral quality of the soils lend notes of freshness and acidity.
All these factors lead to the production of wines which, in the various categories, are always intense but balanced and harmonious.
The vine training methods are mainly the traditional ones, which are not very expansive and which vary in the different winegrowing areas of the island - from the traditional ‘alberello’ [bush-trained] method still in use in the coastal areas of the province of Trapani, to the more common low espalier method using permanent or renewable cordons - or expansive methods in a number of fertile valleys of the interior.
The large territory of the ‘Sicilia’ DOC allows wines to be produced from both native and non-native or international grape varieties, meaning that a wide range of products can be offered in the different categories of wine covered.
Category: Wine (1) This category covers a wide range of wine types: Reds, rosés and whites, including Passito, Vendemmia Tardiva and Riserva wines.
The grape varieties used include both highly prized native varieties, such as Inzolia, Catarratto and Grillo, this latter being the result of a cross between the Catarratto and Zibibbo varieties, and non-native varieties, such as Chardonnay, Müller Thurgau and Sauvignon.
In the production of red wines too, wine production in Sicily is one of the most renowned with wines obtained from native grape varieties, in particular Nero d’Avola, together with Frappato and Nerello Mascalese, and the non-native varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
The undisputed protagonist of this new direction is Nero d’Avola, which, even in a blend with other varieties, is able to characterise and bring out the originality of Sicilian wine, not only because of its colour, but also because it gives the wine a typical character deriving from the aromas and tastes of the Mediterranean.
In terms of analytical and organoleptic characteristics, all these types of wine have balanced chemical and physical properties that contribute to their balanced taste.
All of the types have pleasant, harmonious, distinctive and elegant aromas, sometimes with fruity, floral and vegetal notes, typical of the grape varieties used to produce them.
The colour of the white wines is straw yellow of varying intensity or deep yellow, while the red wines are ruby red of varying intensity, with possible hints of purple and tending to garnet with age.
They are all balanced wines, with good structure and alcohol content.
The age-old history of winegrowing in this region, to which numerous documents attest, is general and basic proof of the close connection and interaction between human factors and the quality and special characteristics of ‘Sicilia’ DOC wines.
In this particular area, people have passed down, over the centuries, the traditional vine cultivation and oenological techniques, which have been improved upon and refined in modern times thanks to undisputed advances in science and technology.
This has allowed the ‘Sicilia’ PDO wines to earn their reputation.