The Grillo grape was traditionally known for its leading role in Marsala, the Sicilian sweet fortified wine, though the style has widely fallen out of favor in recent years. But Grillo has been getting more attention lately as a crisp, dry white wine that’s perfect for the seafood of Sicily and beyond.
In fact, Grillo is arguably one of the island’s three most important indigenous white varieties. The others are Carricante, cultivated in the shadows of Mount Etna on Sicily’s eastern coast and the cornerstone of the increasingly popular Etna Biancos, and Catarratto, the most planted white variety, which is also used in Marsala and many other white wines.
Grillo is grown pretty much all over the island, with a concentration on the western side, and you’ll find the wines under the island-wide Sicilia denomination or DOC, usually with the name of the grape (thankfully) on the label as well.
Grillos are marked by aromas of white flowers, herbs, citrus, especially grapefruit and orange, and stone fruits, and often finish on the palate with a touch of bitterness that’s more interesting than off-putting. With their racy acidity, they’re great summer wines for fish and other lighter fare.
As Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson point out in “The World Atlas of Wine,” “Grillo is particularly good at retaining its acidity in the harshest heat and its saline, mineral dry whites are increasingly valued.”
While herbal notes are a characteristic of the wines, the better ones also have lovely fruit that combines seamlessly with the herbal and floral elements.
The wines below were mostly aged in stainless steel or concrete tanks. One of the Grillos I sampled (not included here) was aged for several months in acacia barrels and was dominated by the wood. For Grillo, it seems to me, the less barrel aging the better.
Here are six of the best Grillos from Sicily:
Feudo Montoni Sicilia Grillo ‘Timpa’ 2023
This popular Grillo from a historic winery presents the variety’s signature floral and herbal aromas along with white peach and a hint of lime. The grapes are grown organically, and on the palate you’ll find a rich mouthfeel with a slightly creamy layer and touch of honey. The wine is aged on the lees in cement tanks for six months. One key to getting the full aromatic and flavor profile of these wines: don’t drink them too cold.
Price: $23
Buy This Wine
Tenuta Rapitalà Sicilia Grillo ‘Viviri’ 2023
Grown in clay, pebbles, and sand on the large Rapitalà estate, this first-rate Grillo has nice complexity, showing aromas and flavors of green apple skin, cantaloupe, lemon-lime, and a hint of strawberry. Minerals and touches of spice and vanilla persist on the long finish. The wine is aged in stainless-steel vats. It’s also an under-$20 bargain.
Price: $15
Buy This Wine
Valle dell’Acate Sicilia Grillo ‘Zagra’ 2023
There’s a hint of spearmint along with the white peach and almond notes in this wine. Touches of honey, salt, and lime emerge on the mid-palate and extend onto the long finish. The vineyards are farmed organically in sandy-clay soils. It’s also another exceptional value.
Price: $20
Buy This Wine
Vino di Anna ‘Palmento’ Vino Bianco
This notable blend is 20 percent Grillo from the Marsala region in the northwest corner of the island; 40 percent Carricante from the north slopes of Etna, along with 30 percent Inzolia and 10 percent Catarratto. The various grapes were fermented separately in large oak and chestnut barrels and stainless-steel tanks, then blended and aged on the lees. The result is a memorable wine that offers notes of apricot, white peach, and green apple accented by wet stone, saline, and baking spices. A hint of lemon meringue emerges on the creamy finish.
Price: $30
Buy This Wine
Brugnano Sicilia Grillo ‘Lunario’ 2024
White peach, candied lemon, a wisp of vanilla, and subtle herbs are the hallmarks of this excellent Grillo, which finishes on the palate with a refined minerality. It’s aged without oak but has a nice richness from four months on the lees. It reminds me of Chablis. (The ‘23 vintage is available here.)
Price: $33
Buy This Wine
Tenuta Regaleali Sicilia Grillo ‘Cavallo delle Fate’ 2024
Lots of herbs on the nose of this Grillo, along with citrus, minerals, and spice. Green apple, orange pith, and white peach flavors follow with a long finish. It’s fermented and aged on the lees in stainless-steel tanks. It’s one more notable under-$20 value.
Price: $18
Buy This Wine
Next up: Pinot Noirs from New York’s Finger Lakes
