Carpe Wine: Sipping in Sicily

Immersing yourself in wine country is one the best ways to learn and explore the culture and history of a region. That said, in my last column I shared six of my top wine destinations to visit this year — three international and three right here in the United States. Over the next few weeks I’ll delve into each one to share a little more about the region, its history, wines and why you should sip them in — either at home, at Taste of Vail or by planning a trip.

Sicily tops the list for 2025

While Italy’s wine scene is incredible from top to bottom, Sicily’s been stealing my heart. The island is literally a museum in itself, showcasing architectural gems from ancient Greek, Roman and Moorish civilizations. There are a multitude of Greek temples to explore, maybe even more UNESCO World Heritage sites and every day you can sip in views of the dramatic coastlines.

Thanks to its sun-soaked climate and volcanic soils from Mount Etna, Sicily’s wines are totally unique. The island is home to more than 60 native grape varieties. To keep things simple, red wine fans should look out for the bold Nero d’Avola, the elegant Nerello Mascalese, and the light, refreshing Frappato. If you’re into white wines, you can’t miss the crisp Grillo or Sarricante — especially in those stunning Etna Bianco wines that come right from the volcano’s slopes.

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Have you tried Sicilian wine? Maybe? Or maybe you remember when the island was known more for bulk wine production? Times — and the wines — have changed. It’s true, during 1980s and 1990s Sicily experienced a rapid expansion of bulk wine production. Fortunately, in the early 2000s things changed as more people rediscovered — and invested in — the potential of Sicily’s diverse terroirs and indigenous grape varieties. Today, the island is a vibrant fine wine region.

How can you learn and explore more about Sicilian wine?

Sip Sicily at Home

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I spent some time exploring local wine shops here in the Vail valley this week and found you can explore Sicilian wine right here in the valley. A few Sicilian wineries to be on the lookout for — Planeta, Donnafugata, Benanti, Cottanera, Occhipinti, Rapitala, COS, Gulfi, Pietradolce, Passo Pisciaro, Feudi del Pisciotto, Di Giovanna, Funaro and Firriato.

Taste of Vail

Last year during The Taste of Vail, Alder Yarrow, wine writer and critic of JancisRobinson.com and Vinography.com, did a fabulous seminar and tasting on island wines, which included some from Sicily. The schedule for the 2025 seminars is not yet posted, but if they’re doing this seminar again I highly recommend you go. It’s a fun way to sip and explore the history and geography of a variety of island wine regions.

Come with me to Sicily

There is no better way to experience a wine region than — you guessed it — by traveling there. I’ve teamed up with Authentic Explorations to create a DREAM wine vacation to Sicily the last week of October. This is the perfect time of the year to visit as it’s warm but not too hot. We will be exploring the wine country, sipping with winemakers, learning about the island’s ancient, colorful history and cuisine. Think cooking classes and wine blending. A few favorite wineries we will be visiting — Planeta, Tasca d’Almerita and Cottanera, to name a few. Want to come with me? Details are on CarpeTravel.com. 

Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer and wine judge, certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2, and a certified American Wine Expert. She is also the editor at Carpe Travel, a content site focused on wine travel. You can follow her wine 101 and sipping adventures on Carpe Travel or Instagram.