As I sit here by the fireplace on a cold wintry January morning, I can’t help but think back a few weeks when I was blithely enjoying those sunny slopes of Sicily. Sicily was a one-day stop-over on our recent Mediterranean cruise and proved to be one of the highlights of the trip.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, just off the toe of boot-shaped Italy. It is also one of the largest wine producing areas of Italy. So, naturally, it became my arduous chore to taste Sicilian wines.

It was our fortunate chance to be the guests of one of the premier wineries situated on the slopes of Mt. Etna. The Barone di Villagrande has been producing wines since 1727, but most of that time has been only known locally and largely for family and friends. Recently the current Barone (a professor at a nearby university), the Baronessa and their son have devoted considerable effort, time and money in upgrading their facilities and their wines. We were among the first Americans to taste the results of their efforts. They were splendid.

As we climbed the hills approaching Mt. Etna, I was impressed by the unusual patterns of lava flow and what seemed to be mini-craters from volcanic activity. It seems that Etna doesn’t “blow its top” as we tend to think volcanoes do, but rather blows a new crater on the side of the mountain where the lava flows down, creating the fascinating terracing effect.

As we drove higher we suddenly left the sunny slopes and entered a dense fog and misting rain. But, as we turned a corner, there before us was one of those ancient craters, now an arena-shaped vineyard with a rustic winery perched at the edge. A magnificent sight!

The wines were just as magnificent, utilizing local grape varieties; Carricante for the white wine and Nerello Mascalese for the red. Totally new grape varieties to me, but splendid. After a delightful lunch with the Baronessa we returned to the view of the vineyards. The fog had cleared and we were once again on the sunny slopes of Sicily.

Unfortunately, the wines of the Barone di Villagrande are not available in the U.S. yet; hopefully some day. But in the meantime there are other wines of Sicily available.

The Fuedo Arancio wines are available locally and come highly recommended. They have received high ratings in several wine publications and are quite modest in price. The Nero d’Avola is another local grape variety grown only in Sicily. It produces a highly flavorable red wine, very lively and fruity and it goes well with pasta, red meats and cheeses. Their Chardonnay is equally flavorable and is a favorite with appetizers and fish.

We can expect to see more wines from Sicily reaching our retailer’s shelves and they will be a welcome change from the usual fare, bringing to us more of the fruits of the sunny slopes of Sicily.

Dave Ethridge is a nationally known wine writer, certified wine judge, and the director of the Lapeer Chapter of Tasters Guild international.

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