Founded in 1898 on the slopes of Mt Etna, handed down from Father to Son for five generations, Nicosia is a historic family-owned winery rooted in the land and dedicated to producing great Sicilian wines for wine lovers across the world.

Nicosia wines are a tribute to the heart of Sicily, obtained from native vineyards and international varieties that find an ideal terroir on the island, with expressions of rare excellence. They embody the light and warmth of its Mediterranean climate, the strength of its people, and the untamed, exuberant character of the Etna volcano that has both powerful nature and regenerative strength. 

Mt. Etna, one of the tallest and most active volcanos in the world, creates an incredible and unique environment for viticulture. In the last 20 years Etna DOC (est. 1968) has become one of the most exciting appellations in Italy. Cantine Nicosia is one of the original Wineries to settle on Etna, and one of the few still shepherding their own grapes from vine to bottle.  

In respecting a land that has been in their family for over 120 years, Cantine Nicosia has obtained several organic certifications and are also part of VIVA for sustainability. In total Nicosia has achieved 10 different certifications, including but not limited to: organic, carbon neutral, vegan and energy efficient.

Location of Vineyard

The Nicosia winery is the place where tradition meets ultramodern technology. Covering a nearly 40,000 square meters space, among the spacious winemaking area, the testing laboratory, the large stainless steel tanks, the ultramodern bottling line, the bottle ageing area and the suggestive underground barrel cellar, the winery is where the heart of the company beats. Near to the wine cellar, at the foot of one of the extinguished craters on Etna volcano, there are the ancient vineyards of Monte Gorna. On their distinctive lava terraces are cultivated the native grape varieties of Etna DOC wines. The company owns other vineyards on the slopes of Etna, reaching a total area of 85 hectares, and in the southeastern Sicily, where it produces the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG wine.

Winemaking Philosophy

Nicosia promotes the best wine growing areas in Sicily, focusing on the finest native grape varieties, and develops the best raw material through the careful selection of the grapes and the constant care on work in the cellar. The company has joined the principles of organic farming and sustainability to combine environmental protection and food safety. Using the most advanced techniques of precision viticulture, the company has been able to eliminate the use of agrochemicals and fertilizers. The winery has long taken up the challenge of high quality with the aim of satisfying the demands of consumers, who are increasingly attentive to healthy drinking and the traceability of every step of the production process. Therefore, Nicosia has earned official and internationally acknowledged certifications requiring the observance of a series of parameters and guidelines in company activities, work organization, production processes, relations with customers, suppliers and consumers, and environmental and food safety. The company has also chosen to make its eco-friendly commitment transparent and measurable thanks to the VIVA Certification, the most advanced sustainability project in viticulture in Italy with the aim of improving the performance of environmental protection and energy saving through the analysis of four fundamental indicators: Air, Water, Territory, Vineyard.

Grape varieties: Nero d’Avola 60% - Frappato 40%

Vineyards: medium soils and limestone, situated on a hill at an altitude of about 450-500m above sea level

Raccolta: end of September

Fermentation: grapes, carefully selected, are macerated and fermented for about 10 days at a controlled temperature; malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats

Ageing: in steel vats and 3-4 months in the bottle

Alcohol content: 13,5% vol.

Colour: cherry red with mauve hightlight

Nose: fruity and intense

Palate: soft, harmonious and balanced

Food Pairings: appetizers and main dishes, skewered meats, cheese and spicy

Serving temperature: 16-18°C