SICILY'S WINE TELLS ITS STORY: IDENTITY AND SUSTAINABILITY WITH AN EYE ON EUROPEAN MARKETS

An experience designed to showcase the richness of the terroir, the diversity of native grape varieties, the vitality of the wineries, and the profound connection between wine, sustainability projects, culture, landscape, and local communities.

“ Initiatives like the Sicilia DOC Collection are essential for showcasing the extraordinary richness of our native vines and for offering the press an authentic opportunity to connect with our region ,” says Camillo Pugliesi, Director of the Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian DOC Wines. Over three days, journalists were able to discover very different aspects of Sicilian wine: from the inland vineyards to the cultural symbols of Palermo. This extraordinary mosaic is what makes Sicily a true wine continent, capable of expressing its identity, historical depth, and ever-growing qualitative potential. In addition to presenting Sicilian wine, the Sicilia DOC Collection press tour underscores how Italian exports are consolidating their presence in European markets such as Bulgaria, Malta, Romania, Finland, and Spain. These countries, despite their different consumption patterns, contribute to the sector's overall growth: from mature markets, where wine is part of everyday culture, to emerging markets in Eastern Europe, to Nordic countries like Finland, where Italian wine is perceived as synonymous with quality and Mediterranean style. In 2024, Italian exports reached €8.1 billion, with over 22 million hectoliters shipped abroad, confirming the strength of Italian wine as an ambassador of winemaking identity and culture around the world.

Tuesday was dedicated to sustainability with the SOStain symposium at Villa Zito. The presentations explored responsible communication, scientific measurement of sustainability, precision agriculture, and biodiversity protection, with panels on new business models for a regenerative future.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the press tour offered a technical insight into Sicilian winemaking with two masterclasses at Palazzo Branciforte, a symbol of Palermo's culture. The first, " The Three Pillars of Sicilian Wine: Grillo, Lucido, and Nero d'Avola ," guided journalists on a sensory journey through the three iconic grape varieties of the Sicilia DOC, highlighting their versatility, elegance, and complexity. The second masterclass explored Perricone, Frappato, and other native varietals, showcasing the island's biodiversity and the work of wineries to promote them. The tour also included visits to wine-growing areas in the province of Palermo, between Camporeale and Piana degli Albanesi, with tastings and convivial moments that highlighted the connection between wine, landscape, and local traditions. Sicilia DOC Collection thus presented Sicily's wine as a "wine continent" in the heart of the Mediterranean, confirming the role of the Consortium and its producers in enhancing the region's quality, identity, and international recognition.

The Sicilia DOC Collection presented a collective narrative of Sicilian wine: a winemaking continent in the heart of the Mediterranean, which, through the work of the Consortium for the Protection of Sicilia DOC wines and its producers, continues to grow in quality and recognition. The press tour concluded with an extremely positive outcome and a shared understanding that experiences like this are crucial for communicating, in Italy and abroad, the strength and depth of the Sicilia DOC's identity.