I was lucky enough to visit Sicily on my honeymoon in July of 2022 and we visited the incredible wine region of Mount Etna, Sicily, home to the native grape varieties Nerello Mascalese & Nerello Cappuccio (for red) and Carricante and Catarratto (for white). What makes this region so special is that the vineyards sit on an active volcano! Not only does this elevation provide great acidity and structure to the wines, but the volcanic soil gives incredible complexity and a savory quality. There are even some vines planted on their native rootstocks, as many plots around Etna were resistant to the phylloxera pest that killed European rootstocks in the late 19th century. These incredible old vines create intensely concentrated, beautiful wines that you have got to check out on your next trip to the store or to Sicily!
If you are planning a trip to see the Vineyards of Mt. Etna soon, follow along with this
Mt. Etna Winery Guide.
First of all, you’ll need to rent a car, there isn’t really any easy public transport or ubers, so I recommend just renting from the airport and enjoying your drive all over Sicily!
I stayed in Linguaglossa, a tiny town on the Northern side of Mt. Etna, in a wonderful hotel called “Shalai Resort” that actually had a Michelin star restaurant located inside the hotel! The breakfast was incredible! This is a great base to visit wineries as all of the ones I mention below are only about a 12 to 15 minutes away. (Pro-tip - the basic rooms here are tiny, we weren’t even able to open our suitcases properly on the floor, so I do recommend staying here, but definitely upgrade to a bigger room. We upgraded and got a fantastic room with a wonderful balcony and mural ceiling)
Be aware that this is not a touristy town, you really get to experience a local Sicilian way of life. Definitely go to dinner at Trattoria Linguagrossa, down the street from the hotel, for a delicious local Italian meal.
Now for the wineries!
Stop 1: I Custodi
Our first stop was I Custodi (https://www.icustodi.it/?lang=en), such a special place. Their wines are made naturally with certified organic vineyards, old bush trained vines, all native yeasts, and low sulfur addition. There’s an awesome rustic, volcanic spice in their wines that has made me absolutely fall in love with Nerello Mascalese as one of my new favorite grape varieties.
Always make sure to make a reservation in advance to any wineries you want to go to in Mt. Etna. Many of the experiences are very personal and curated, so it’s important that the winery knows in advance that you are coming. We had an incredible tasting of the whole lineup and Mario, the winemaker, even drove us over to one of their oldest vineyards in Mt Etna, the “Saeculare” vineyard. Walking through the huge gnarled bush vines over 250 years of age, with a smoking volcano in the background and dried lava rocks at my feet is in experience I will never forget!
Stop 2: Donnafugata Winery
Next we drove just 12 minutes down the road to Donnafugata Winery. https://visit.donnafugata.it/en/wineries/etna
We had a great tasting paired with some local bites. The highlight was discovering the local variety Zibibbo, that made a great dry wine Lighea, and a wonderful dessert wine, the Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria Doc. They also make wonderful olive oil on the estate and we had to buy a bottle to take with us!
Day 2, Stop 1: Gambino Winery
We started our day at Gambino Winery https://www.vinigambino.it/reserve-your-tasting/?lang=en that also had a great wine and cheese pairing and beautiful view of the surrounding vineyards. Our server was so welcoming and sweet and the wines were delicious here as well!
Day 2, Stop 2: Planeta Winery
In the afternoon we met some friends at Planeta Winery https://planeta.it/en/ospitalita-planeta/ Our friends knew the winemaker so we got an incredible tour of the estate, and even got to see bottles go through the bottling line which was a really cool experience. They have a wonderful mix of native and international varieties, all expertly crafted.
These were the four wineries we got time to visit in our 4 days in Linguaglossa, and we had a fantastic time. I recommend 2 wineries max a day as you don't want to be rushed and the experiences are longer and more relaxed.
I also wanted to include some of these must-do activities while your in the area:
Guided Trek along the North Side of Mt. Etna. While you are at the base of the volcano you have to take some time to book a guided hike along the volcano craters. There’s lots of different levels, ours was just a few hours, but there are full day hikes you can take to get closer to the top. Really incredible experience!
2. Day Trip to Taormina. Taormina is just a 35 minute drive from Linguaglossa. This is the town that was featured on Season 2 of White Lotus. It is breathtakingly beautiful with an Old Greek Theatre you have to take some time to check out. Just be aware it’s very touristy and busy, especially now more so after the press from White Lotus!
3. Spend a few days in Palermo. Palermo was one of the highlights of our Italy trip. It is such a vibrant city with so much great nightlife and beautiful cathedrals. It didn’t feel as touristy as many other places we went as well. I can recommend flying in and out of Palermo and you can rent your car from here as well.
4. Go to dinner at Cave Ox. Cave Ox was recommended to us by every foodie and wino that has visited Etna. Nestled in the hillside, it’s a beautiful delicious spot for dinner, with an incredible wine list too!
Sicily was such a magical place and hope you get the chance to visit soon and that this Mount Etna Winery Guide helps you in your planning! Happy Travels!
