The World of Sicilian Wine provides wine lovers with a comprehensive understanding of Sicilian wine, from its ancient roots to its modern evolution. Offering a guide and map to exploring Sicily, Bill Nesto, an expert in Italian wine, and Frances Di Savino, a student of Italian culture, deliver a substantive appreciation of a vibrant wine region that is one of Europe's most historic areas and a place where many cultures intersect.
From the earliest Greek and Phoenician settlers who colonized the island in the eighth century B.C., the culture of wine has flourished in Sicily. A parade of foreign rulers was similarly drawn to Sicily's fertile land, sun-filled climate, and strategic position in the Mediterranean. The modern Sicilian quality wine industry was reborn in the 1980s and 1990s with the arrival of wines made with established international varieties and state-of-the-art enology. Sicily is only now rediscovering the quality of its indigenous grape varieties, such as Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato, Grillo, and distinctive terroirs such as the slopes of Mount Etna.
"This painstakingly researched and well-written book is highly recommended reading not only for those seeking entry into the mysteries of the Sicilian wine scene but also for those seeking an introduction to the twists and turns of Sicilian history generally. That Bill Nesto is a Master of Wine is apparent from the knowledgeable way he treats matters viticultural and vinous. That he and his co-author/wife have southern Italian, indeed Sicilian, blood flowing through their veins is apparent in the passion and intensity with which they handle their material."--Nicolas Belfrage, MW, author of The Finest Wines of Tuscany and Central Italy
"Few wine books are as deeply researched and detailed as this exhaustive reference on Sicilian wine from antiquity to the present day. Even the most knowledgeable oenophiles and Italophiles will learn from The World of Sicilian Wine."--Robert Camuto, author of Palmento: A Sicilian Wine Odyssey
"The sheer weight of historical, geographical, and viticultural information is enough to make this the definitive English-language book on the island's wines."
