52 Reasons to Love Sicily #14. Sicily as a wine region is sublime. The island hosts one of the oldest wine producing regions in the world thanks to the ancient Phoenicians and Greeks. It possesses 70 native grape varietals that are 100% Sicilian. Nero D’Avola, Grillo, Nero Mascalese, Perricone, Cattaratto, Insolia, Frappatto, Zibbibo, Marsala … look…
Tag: enotourism
Sunset At A Winery In Sicily
Savor a sunset tour with an enologist at one of Etna’s most revered vineyards during our October Stunning Sicily tour. Your time with the author of the new book, The Etna Report, will go deep into the viniculture of the volcanic wine region and the wine-making process. You’ll learn all about what makes Etna Bianco…
Best Wishes To Cantina Quattrocieli
Cantina Quattrocieli in Alcamo, Sicily, a winery I visited in September (pictured), reported that they tasted their novello (new wine) for San Martino, and they are happy with the results thus far. For the young wine makers, who are still growing their business and perfecting their craft, this is wonderful news! Bravi e auguri!
Saint Martin’s Day: The Test Taste
After an arduous year of meticulously caring for the vines, pruning them, constantly minding the ground at the bases of the plants, and praying for fare weather conditions, in September, wine makers harvested their grapes for the next step of the wine making process. Today’s production is done in laboratory-like cantinas of stainless steel… An…
Cork In The Bottle
Now that our Experience Sicily Stirring Sicily East tour is complete, while still in Sicily, I’m seeking out new experiences for when you come! For example, I visited Cantina Quattrocieli in Alcamo and had a great time. Right now, they are in the middle of the grape harvest and extracting the grape juice to make…
A Pair of Fantastic Evenings
After a fantastic evening of Sicilian cuisine last night with the Sicily and Southern Italy Interest Circle (of NY, on Meetup.com) at 83 1/2 Ristorante on New York City’s Upper East Side, this evening, I was downtown on the Lower East Side at Cacio e Vino for a wine tasting dinner with pairing of Donnafugata…
Meet Me at the Enoteca
An enoteca is a wine shop, where one samples wine that is served with the intention that you’ll purchase a few bottles. Often light snacks are served with the wine. This enoteca pictured is at Planeta’s Ulmo winery in Sambuca di Sicilia. Cin Cin!
Like A Conductor of An Outstanding Orchestra
I love creating extraordinary experiences for our clients. Like this one, presenting a dreamy setting for our group’s dinner this evening. Well, I can only take a tiny piece of credit for it, really! Like a conductor who is supported by an outstanding orchestra, there are so many players that make something like this happen–Sicilian…
Stirring Sicily East with Nino
We’re working hard to publish our Stirring Sicily East itinerary for September 6 to September 14, 2017, our hands-on cooking experience co-hosted by Nino Elia (pictured at the sheep farm we visited… Did I mention fresh ricotta?) and Zest of Lititz, Penn. Like last year’s itinerary, we’ll have three hands-on cooking classes (including Modica chocolate!),…
Keep Your Eyes on Sicilian Wines
Starting on Friday, Oct. 21, the Sudest Wine Fest a Siracusa takes place in Ortigia. Within the charming setting of the Antico Mercato di Ortigia, cooking demos, street food offerings, theater presentations, jazz music performances will please attendees, and of course, wine tastings will take center stage. I can only hope that the spectacular wines…