The largest island of the Mediterranean has been named after the original inhabitants - the indigenous tribes of Sicani and Siculi.

The Phoenicians, who arrived in Sicily from North Africa in the 11th century BC, were already highly experienced in agriculture and set out immediately to plant vineyards.  Indeed, the thriving viticulture was so advanced in what is now the southern part of Italy, that when the Greek colonists conquered these lands during the 8th century BC, they were so impressed with the quality of the local wines made from the autochtonnous grape varieties that they named this new area as Oenotria - land of wine.

With its mountainous terrain, high temperature variations, low rainfall and light soils, Sicily is an ideal place for the cultivation of grapes, although it may come as a surprise to learn that it was originally known, along with Egypt, as the Roman Empire's grain basin. 

Up to the mid-1990s, Sicily rivalled Apulia as Italy's biggest wine-producing region, generating more than 10 million hectolitres annually. This was mostly the dense, heavy red wine beloved by blenders in the north of the country as a boost to more feeble efforts from cooler climes. As is the case with in many regions, demand for such wines has fallen drastically, and production has dropped to about 7 million hectolitres.

Originally, Sicilian wines were not even bottled. Only recently have three Sicilian wineries undertaken this task: Duca di Salaparuta (with its famous Corvo brand), Regaleali and Rapital&