📍 Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and a wine region in the south of Italy, as well as the designation of the same name, Sicilia DOC. According to the official list of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (March 2026), which matches the EU eAmbrosia register, it has 24 designations of origin — one DOCG and 23 DOC. Another 6 wines hold IGT status, including Terre Siciliane.

The island's only DOCG is Cerasuolo di Vittoria, in the south-east. It is a red wine made from 50–70% Nero d'Avola and 30–50% Frappato, and it has held DOCG status since 2005. Since 2011 the Sicilia DOC has covered the whole island: in the white, at least half is Insolia, Catarratto, Grillo, Grecanico or a few international varieties; in the red, Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Nerello Mascalese, Perricone and others.

On the slopes of Etna, where the DOC has existed since 1968, the red wine is at least 80% Nerello Mascalese and the white at least 60% Carricante. The island of Pantelleria makes wines from Zibibbo, including Passito di Pantelleria.

In the west lies Marsala, a fortified wine. Golden and amber Marsala is made from Grillo, Catarratto, Insolia and Damaschino, and ruby Marsala from red grapes. According to the OIV, in 2015 Catarratto Bianco Comune covered 21 thousand ha in Italy and was among the country's ten most widely planted varieties.

Why it matters to you. The word on a Marsala label tells you the minimum ageing directly: Fine — one year, Superiore — two, Superiore Riserva — four, Vergine — five, Vergine Stravecchio — ten years. DOCG is the top step, and every such bottle carries a state control strip. «Terre Siciliane» is a broader IGT indication with looser rules.