Conditions for growing grapes are ideal over almost the whole of Sicily and the island offers a wide range of soil types, elevations and site climates.
We need only mention the differences between Marsala’s flatlands and rolling hill country in the extreme west and the vineyards that grace Mount Etna, perched more than 1,000 metres up on the volcanic slopes; or between the high hills in the central part of the island and the coastal territories in the south-east, such as Vittoria and Pachino, while there are very special wine environments on Pantelleria and the Lipari islands.
Some grape varieties are limited to specific geographical areas: Carricante, Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio in the Etna area, or Frappato around Vittoria,
or again Malvasia on the Lipari islands and Moscato di Alessandria on Pantelleria.
Other vines show distinct preferences, for example Grillo in western Sicily or Catarratto in areas at higher elevations. Still other varieties are more widely planted, and here we could mention Inzolia, Grecanico or Nero d’Avola as well as non-native grapes like Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, or Chardonnay and Sauvignon.
Feudo Terrelíade is in the western part of Sicily, tucked away among the seamless ranks of hills and broad valleys dotted with almond or olive groves.
Gentle, well-aspected slopes, fertile soil and the ideal climate in which to ripen the clusters with very hot summers tempered by sea breezes are the premises that have made grape growing a major occupation here since time immemorial.
