Wine Tasting in Sicily

Sicily is a well known wine-producing area, and home to one of my new favorite reds, the Nero d’Avola varietal. A nice way to enjoy a bit of Sicily when visiting is to take time for an hour or two to visit a winery, which we did at Gambino Vini (www.vinigambino.it/ws/?page_id=64&lang=en-en) located in the Mt. Etna wine growing region, where the volcanic soil and elevation at about 2,000 feet is the basis of some tasty and interesting wines. Here varietals, generally less familiar to Californians, though certainly some Sicilian wines are exported to the U.S., thrive and can be enjoyed: Carricante and Cataratto that produce white varietals, and Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for red varietals.

At Gambino, for about 20 euro per person, you can sit on the terrace on Mt. Etna’s slope, amidst the vineyard, and sample four wines, accompanied by a variety of antipasta and tasty homemade sausages. It makes for a wonderful lunch stop. Like us, you might even pick up a bottle or two to bring back home, for about 12 euro each, to enjoy the memory of your lovely visit later on.

Our team of experts at TravelStore can help you plan a custom vacation to Sicily and wine vacations throughout Italy, with a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind itinerary