Castiglione di Sicilia

Rich in fertile landscapes, cultures and traditions, the medieval town of Castiglione di Sicilia boasts an age-old wine-making heritage

Perched on a hill with a ringside seat of Mount Etna’s smouldering beauty, Castiglione di Sicilia is one of the Borghi più Belli d’Italia, making it officially one of Italy’s prettiest villages. It’s easy to see why: narrow alleys helter-skelter past lava-stone piazzas, baroque churches and basilicas until they reach the ruins of Castello di Lauria.

But it’s not only the scenery that punches well above its weight. The grapes that thrive in these fertile, lava-fed soils have explosive aromas, and, despite having been grown here for thousands of years, have only recently been given the attention they deserve.

Companies such as ITS ITALY are shining a light on the village’s ageold, wine-making producers and traditions. Azienda Vitivinicola Vigneti Vecchio is one example: grown in volcanic sand, their gnarly, alberello-trained vines produce wines which sing boldly of the island: robust, elegant and full of ripe red fruit flavours.

Equally outstanding are the wines at nearby Azienda Agricola Sofia, where the vineyards are organically farmed to produce bright, mineralrich, well-balanced red and white wines. The red is particularly memorable, with its long finish and notes of cinnamon, berries and volcanic earth.

The honey-stone, medieval town of Castiglione di Sicilia , Sicily