Be Your Own Sommelier in Sicily

What first pops into your head when you think about Italian wine? Gently sloping hills covered with rows of grapevines? A spotless crystal glass just waiting to be filled? If you've ever been to Sicily, then your mind will probably be filled with images of golden-hued Chardonnay, platters of cheese and a table filled with delicious Sicilian food. You can never just have one glass of wine in Italy, and if you've never had an affinity for the libation, then you might want to brush up on your knowledge before you head overseas to villas in Italy. Once you attend your first wine tasting, you'll never be the same again.

You don't have to be a sommelier to know where to find the best wine in Sicily, especially if you check out this guide that'll steer you in the right direction:

Murgo Winery
Most of the grape libations at Murgo Winery aren't available in the United States, making your experience that much more rewarding as you sample these rare offerings. With an impressive collection of cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and dessert wine, your palate will be filled with the taste and aroma of what some critics consider to be some of the best wine in the world.

Along with the opportunity to taste the wine, you can also reserve a table at the winery's onsite restaurant, which features dishes made with produce grown right in the vineyard. Of course, each plate is paired with a wine so that you can further educate yourself about how to have a proper wine-focused meal.

Porto Bello Restaurant
Although it's not affiliated with any Sicilian vineyards, Porto Bello Restaurant, located on the Aeolian island of Salina, serves some of the best wines in the region, and knows exactly how to create the perfect food-and-wine pairings. According to Spencer Cruse, the sommelier at Drago Centro restaurant in Los Angeles, this eatery has the best tuna crudo and fish cake. Set in the perfect atmosphere along the coastline, Porto Bello Restaurant would be an ideal romantic destination for you and someone special.

"We were looking over the water in the bay at night," Cruse told AFAR Magazine. "It's really a lovely restaurant, with lovely people and great service."

Graci Vineyard
Mount Etna wine is not your average libation. Because of the region's volcanic soil, these drinks have a particularly special flavor. In an interview with Food + Wine magazine, Frank Cornelissen, a local winemaker, talked about what makes this region, and his wines, so special.

"The mountain gets more flexible when it erupts," he told the news source. "It's really bloody alive. With each new lava flow, new minerals that have not been found ever before are blown out of Mother Earth."

Ready to explore a villa vacation? Peruse our portfolio of villa rentals in Sicily and in other regions of Italy.