TRAVEL & WINE EXPERIENCES AROUND THE WORLD
Catania Sicily.
ITS ALL ABOUT THE WINES, FOOD, COCKTAILS. VINES.
Nestled under the shadow of Mount Etna in the east, Catania is Sicily's second-largest city, lying on the Ionian sea. Volcanic eruptions destroyed and shaped the city from the most devastating in 17th century to the most current eruption today in 2025. ​​Join me as a Vinitaly Italian Wine student as we dive into the world of Italian Wines.
Edition 1. 20 Jul 2025
Photo by Paolo Candelo. Social Media Tag Photo by Samir Kharrat.
Dining with Wines.
01 WINE IS BEST WITH FOOD AND FRIENDS.
Milan is renowned for its unique culinary heritage, here's some of our top places.
Osteria Antica Marina.
Osteria Antica Marina | This comes highly recommended by some of the Italian Wine Makers. Set in the midst of the fish markets, I dined outdoors at their patio during Easter. What a beautiful paired of BBQ local caught fish with Etna DOC Carricante, a white varietal grown on Mt Etna.
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Zona Pescheria, Via Pardo, Catania
Photo from Facebook/osteriaanticamarina
Menage.
Menage | A lounge bistro with an good showcase of Italian wines and cocktails by Sommelier Michele who worked in Cairns and Sydney only to return to Sicily to open this restaurant with his friends. A bistro located inside a hotel, it serves up a modern Italian cuisine using local Sicilian ingredients.
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Via Euplio Reina, Catania
Photo from Facebook/menagecatania
Uzeta.
Uzeta Bistro Sicilano | Step into a bistro with Sicilia Carnival vibes with a cross of fine dining with cocktails and an extensive wine list of Sicilian and Italian wines. Do make a reservation for this bistro and make a chat with the friendly team at Uzeta.
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Via Penninello, 41, Catania
https://uzetabistrosiciliano.superbexperience.com/
Photo from Instagram/uzeta.bistrosiciliano
Wine Bars. Enotecas.
Here's some of our favorite wine bars serving up Aperitivo with wines and bitesize Italian snacks. Photo from Website Cantina Isola
02 SOMMELIERS HOT FAVOURITE
Nelson.
Nelson Wine Bar | Nestled in the quiet little street lies a little wine shop that features every Sicilian and Italian wines. Friendly and Knowledgeable Sommelier Valentina helms at this wine bar / bottle shop. She worked in some of the best Michelin Star restaurants in London. This is my highly recommended place to get started with Sicilian wines. Aperitivo style wine bar with smoked cut meats and cheeses. ​
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Via Crociferi, 14-16-18, Catania
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Photo from Facebook/nelsonsicily​
Razmataz.
Razmataz Wine Bar | Another busy local favourite wine bar. Service isn't too attentive but the wine list is extensive. This is where you need to be a bit more vocal as Italian can be. Good neighbourhood vibes, start with Aperitivo. Worth a mention, slow dining service though. ​
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Via Montesano, Catania
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Vermut.
Vermut | This iconic place is well known amongst the locals for it's cocktails to wines. Something that so forbidden in Australia is drinking on the streets, chatting with your friends or new locals on the streets. The cocktail bar and Wine Bar seperate and are opposite to each other on the same street. Have a laugh with Somm Anto at the Wine bar, he's very friendly.
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Tip, usually very busy if you want a table for Aperitivo with little snacks, put your name down with the host at the door. For wines, just say hello to Anto and his team at the winebar.
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Via Gemmellaro, 35 Catania
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Photo from Instagram/vermutsalumeria
03 BACK TO THE VINES.
Mt Etna is about 30mins away from Catania. Perfect for a weekend road trip.
Etna.
Valtellina.
Valtellina Superiore DOCG is one of the few wine areas in Lombardy's northern Alps and is divided up into an additional five geographically-divided sub-zones. The entire area stretches along the northern banks of the Adda River, from Tirano in the east and almost to Morbegno in the west. It's also considered heroic viticulture with vines growing at 500-800m above sea level with very steep banks.
Ca Bianche | Winemaker Davide and his wife runs this winery in middle Valtellina handed down from generations in the family. Also making the prized Faset Sforzato di Valtellina using 100% Nebbiolo grapes that's grown at a vineyard at Tirano, about 700 metres above sea level. Prebook before hand your wine tasting experience.
Via S. Stefano, 15, 23037 Tirano SO, Italy
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Franciacorta.
Franciacorta is a small wine region in the Lombardy region of northern Italy just 70km east of Milan, specifically within the province of Brescia. It's known for producing high-quality sparkling wines, earning it the Italian wine classification of Franciacorta DOCG. These sparkling wines are made using the traditional method, similar to Champagne, with a minimum aging period of 18 months on lees using a minimum of 85% Chardonnay.
Guido Berlucchi | Tracing back to the mid 1950's where Mr Berlucchi tasked the young enologist Franco Ziliani to improve the quality of his Pinot Del Castello. Franco who has travelled extensively to Champagne Region in France note that the Franciacorta region had a very similar climate and growing conditions, so he took a chance at producing a sparkling wine in the Metodo Classico, or traditional style. It’s worth starting your visit of Franciacorta at Guido Berlucchi to retrace the history of the wine and take a tour of the 16th century Palazzo Lana
Via Duranti, 4, 25040 Borgonato BS, Italy
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https://www.berlucchi.it/cantina-e-visite/cantina-storica/
Photo from Livia Hengel
Oltrepò Pavese
Located just 80km south of Milan in the Province of Pavia, the Oltrèpo Pavese is bordered by Piedmont, Emilia Romagna and Liguria, and takes its name from its geographic location just to the south of Italy’s largest River, the River Po. Some of the star of the region are Pinot Nero aka Pinot Noir and Croatina.
Tenuta Travaglino | In 1868 Cavaliere Vincenzo Comi of Milan purchased the Villa and 810 Milanese perches – about 53 hectares - of surrounding land. It would become the first part of the Travaglino Estate. Travaglino highlights the lively, restless personality of the Oltrepò Pavese, which is expressed by its most representative varieties: Pinot Noir and Riesling Renano. Alessandro Cerri Comi now manages most of the winery with Winemaker Achille Bergami.
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Località Travaglino, 6, 27040 Calvignano PV, Italy
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https://www.travaglino.com/en/
Photo from Facebook/TenutaTravaglino
The wines of Etna.
03 LETS TALK ABOUT WINES
​Here's some grapes varieties that's unique to Etna DOC.
Carricante. The primary white grape variety, known for its high acidity and potential for long aging. Saline and mineral with notes of lemony, orange blossom, chamomile and anise. Often blended with Catarratto.
Catarratto. Another white grape used in Etna Bianco blends. In the glass, it features notes of citrus, pineapple, thyme and sage
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WHITES IN SINGLE VARIETALS OR BLENDS
REDS IN SINGLE VARIETALS OR BLENDS
Nerello Mascalese. The dominant red grape, known for its structure, acidity, and potential for aging. Often compared with Burgundy, nose of
Nerello Cappuccio. Used in red and rosé wines, often blended with Nerello Mascalese.
Check out the 12 best Etna wines chosen by Gambero Rosso
32 BACK TO THE VINES.
Milano is close to some of the major wine regions thats 1-3hours drive away. Perfect for a weekend road trip.
Piemonte.
Alba, Langhe.
Just under 2 hours drive from Milano lies Alba. It is the capital of the Langhe, a hilly area in the south of Piedmont. The Langhe is known for its delicious wines, fruit, and nut trees.
Pio Cesare | Pio Cesare was born in 1881 when Pio Cesare , Cesare by name and Pio by surname, a successful entrepreneur ​​produced wine from the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco.
The family owns approximately 70 hectares of vineyards in particularly suitable locations, blending and making wines from each vineyard and each area to produce wines that represent the style of the signature Barolo, Bararesco, Alba wines. A visit to the cellar and tasting room is a must when visiting Alba, do make a reservation.
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Via Cesare Balbo, 6, 12051 Alba CN, Italy
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https://www.piocesare.it/visite-e-degustazioni/
Photo from Facebook/piocesarewinery
Asti.
A small sleepy town lies Cocconato, just 1h30 from Milan. It is a small village of medieval origin located a few kilometres from Asti, Piedmont. The village is also known as “the Monferrato Riviera”, due to its mild climate, which allows plants typical of maritime areas to grow, such as palm trees and olive trees.
BAVA & Cocchi | The Bava family has been cultivating vines in this area since 1600 and in 1911 built its first winery right here in Cocconato, Piemonte, producing Barolo, Barbera and Ruche. The family property extends into Monferrato and the Langhe with sustainable agriculture methods in the three farms of Cocconato, Agliano and Castiglione Falletto.
It acquired Cocchi which produces Alta Langa sparkling wines and the prized Cocchi Vermouth. Have a chat with their friendly staff when tasting at the cellar.
Str. Monferrato, 2, 14023 Cocconato AT, Italy
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Photo from Facebook/bavawinery
Local Cuisine.
04 PAIRING WINES WITH FOOD
Milanese classics to try while you are in town.
Cotoletta alla Milanese.
Cotoletta alla Milanese, (Crumbed veal cultet) is one of the most well known dishes of the Lombardy cuisine, and can be found everywhere in the city of Milan – from a Michelin-starred restaurant, to your common café selling quick lunches. Photo from insidetherustickitchen.com
Risotto alla Milanese.
Risotto alla Milanese | Legend has it that this dish came about in the 16th century when one of the apprentices working on the Duomo’s stained-glass windows decided to add saffron to white rice made with cheese and bone broth to create that creamy luxurious texture. Photo from www.biffigalleria.it
From Spritz to Cocktails.
05 LETS HAVE A KIKI
Italy is home to the Aperol spritz and many great spirits from lemoncello to amaros. Heres some of coolest bars in Catania. Photo Facebook / Moebiusmilano
Boheme Mixology Bar.
Boheme Mixology Bar. | Warm friendly bartenders in the Italian style, interesting cocktails. Great vibes in a shop with mismatched vintage furniture.
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Via Montesano, 27/29, Catania
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http://www.bohememixologybar.com
Photo from Instagram/boheme_mixologybar
Circus Cocktails Bar.
Circus Cocktails Bar | Cute bar with nice signature cocktails. Live street music. Sit by the bar and chat up the awesome bartenders or chat with a local on the street.
Via Sant'Elena, 13/15, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
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https://www.facebook.com/circuscocktailbarct
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re/sources.
06 LETS PLAN A TRIP
Here's some of the resources to help you plan for your next trip to Italy.
STAY Spice Hotel is located just 3mins walk from Milano Centrale. Map
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TO DO Navigli District Canal Boat Tour with Aperitivo. Enjoy a traditional Milanese aperitivo while cruising through the canals of the Navigli district by boat with a glass of wine.
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​TOGETHER, let’s make a more connected and generous place—one coffee, one drink, and one story at a time.
/Curated.
IT'S OUR PLEASURE. GRAZIE MILLE.
LIZA is from Italy. She is a International Cabin Crew based in Rome.
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JJ is based in Sydney. He works as a Business First Cabin Crew and is a Professional Sommelier and teaches hospitality.
Special Thanks​.
VIA Vinitaly Alumni
Embassy of Italy, Australia
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