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. 2 Aug 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
Map​​
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
The wines of Etna.
03 LETS TALK ABOUT WINES
​Here's some grapes varieties that's unique to Etna DOC.
As of 2022, the Consorzio Tutela Vini Etna DOC included 9 new territories together with the previous 133 Contradas to form the 142 Contradas of Etna DOC. Photo from ​La mappa delle Contrade dell’Etna​​​
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.
03 BACK TO THE VINES.
Mt Etna is about 30mins away from Catania. Perfect for a weekend road trip with a tour or trek guide. Here's some of the wineries to visit.
Etna.
Nicosia.
Tenute Nicosia. | Trecastagni, at the base of one of the extinguished craters dotting Mount Etna and at an altitude of around 700m, is home to the ancient vineyards of Monte Gorna, with their distinctive lava terraces. The vineyards have been completely restructured and replanted, focusing on the native varieties used for Etna DOC wines: Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for the red, and Catarratto and Carricante for the whites. The Osteria located in the winery is a great place to try some of their wines along with the delicious menu.
Via Luigi Capuana, 65, 95039 Trecastagni.
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https://www.tenutenicosia.it/en/experiences
Photo from Facebook/TenuteNicosia
Barone Beneventano.
Barone Beneventano | Roberto and Pierluca Beneventano della Corte, father and son, have always worked in the world of quality wine, selecting and working with some of the best wine producers in Europe. Managed by Pierluca, aiming to protect the tradition and heritage of the ancient Sicilian noble family that has historically been involved in agriculture. Definitely an unique and up cl0se personal experience of the winery.
Via Salto del Corvo, 62, 95029 Viagrande CT, Italy
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https://www.baronebeneventano.com
Photo from Facebook/Baronebeneventano
Benanti.
Benanti. | Benanti is the only winery with vineyards on every slope of the Etna DOC area. In particularly featuring Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina from the Contrada Rinazzo. The tiny municipality of Milo is the only area permitted for wines labeled Etna Bianco Superiore, according to the Etna D.O.C. rules. In this steep vineyard, composed of numerous small terraces with dry lava stone walls overlooking the Ionian Sea, only Carricante is grown. ​
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Visit. Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 361 95029 Viagrande,
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Photo from Website.
32 BACK TO THE VINES.
Sicilia DOC is a wine appellation that encompasses the entire island of Sicily, Italy. It was established in 2011 and it showcases Sicily's diverse terroirs and winemaking traditions. Map by Delong Wine.
Sicily DOC
Planeta.
Planeta. | Ulmo, Noto, Etna. Alessio Planeta, Winemaker of the Year in 2023 with 5 different territories from east to west of Sicily. In 1995, the first winery was established with over 17 generations of agricultural culture in their history, famed for moderning Sicilian winemaking using international grape varietals along side with the native grapes of Sicily from Nero D'avola, Merlot, Fiano, Syrah, Chardonnay. Check out the 3 sites from Ulmo, Noto & Etna for their wine tasting experiences.
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Contrada Ulmo, 92017 Sambuca di Sicilia AG, Italy
Photo from Facebook/planetawinery
Donnafugata.
Donnafugata. | Marsala, Etna, Vittoria, Contessa Entellina, Pantelleria | Each area gives the wines a unique terroir expression—salinity, minerality, warmth, and bold Mediterranean character. “Donnafugata” means “woman in flight,” a reference to Queen Maria Carolina who fled Naples for Sicily in the 19th century. Their wines have won awards and a collabration with Dolce & Gabbana.
From their famous Passito de Pantelleria made from the Zibibbo grape to the Tancredi IGT, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d’Avola thats both elegant and powerful red blend. Featuring Pietro Russo, Master of Wine as winemaker Donnafugata.
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Via Sebastiano Lipari, 18, 91025 Marsala TP, Italy
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Photo from Facebook/DonnafugataWine
Local Cuisine.
04 PAIRING WINES WITH FOOD
Sicilian classics to try while you are in town. Although its cuisine has much in common with Italian cuisine, Sicilian food also has Greek, Spanish, Jewish, Maghrebi, and Arab influences
Cannoli.
Cannoli. Sicilian pastries consisting of a tube-shaped shell of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling containing ricotta cheese. It's believed to have originated around Palermo during the 9th century, while Sicily was under Arab rule. Photo from https://www.giallozafferano.com
Pasta Pesce Spada.
Pasta Pesce Spada. Take a walk through any bustling Sicilian food market and you will find this swordfish in every every stall. Made with rigatoni pasta, tomatoes and eggplant and flavoured with mint and/or oregano, pasta pesce spada is a sweet and simple recipe perfect for those long Sicilian summers. Photo from Jan Gemerle, Unsplash.
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.
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/ Via Etnea Cozy Apartment with Balcony.
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TO DO/ Mt Etna Sunset Tour with Pickup and Drop-Off.
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PRIVATE Guide/
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PRIVATE Guide/
Francesco Arcifa +39 392 3319 488
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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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