Cantine Ferreri

A family winery in the Syracuse countryside producing wines from indigenous Sicilian varieties. The Greek connection is conscious - they understand their terroir was first cultivated by colonists 2,700 years ago. Tastings include Nero d'Avola and Moscato di Siracusa.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 Taste Nero d'Avola Where Greeks First Planted the Vines Wine · Price: moderate

   Nero d'Avola is Sicily's great indigenous red grape - and the Syracuse countryside is precisely where it has grown since Greek colonization.

   Nero d'Avola (named for Avola, 25km south) is the grape Greek colonists from Corinth likely refined from indigenous Sicilian varieties. At Cantine Ferreri in Syracuse countryside (contact in advance — family wineries rarely have walk-in hours), it produces thick-skinned, deeply colored wines with black fruit, licorice, and distinctive Sicilian warmth. The Siracusa DOC protects this 2,700-year continuous tradition. During tasting, ask about stainless-steel versus oak-aged versions — unoaked shows the grape's natural character, texture sometimes compared to Syrah without Northern Rhône density. Ask: 'Qual è la vigna più vecchia?' for generational stories.

   Backup: If Ferreri requires advance booking, Enoteca Evoè in Ortigia stocks local Siracusa DOC producers with knowledgeable explanations.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Ask About the Moscato di Siracusa That Once Rivaled France History · Free

   Moscato di Siracusa is one of Sicily's oldest documented wines - and for centuries it was considered among Europe's finest dessert wines before production nearly died out.

   Moscato di Siracusa has been made here since antiquity — ancient writers mentioned Syracuse sweet wines among the Mediterranean's finest. Production collapsed in the 20th century as tastes shifted dry, but a handful of producers now revive it under Siracusa DOC protection. Made from Muscat Blanc (locally Moscato Bianco), it's rarely seen outside Sicily. Ask 'Fate anche il Moscato di Siracusa?' If they produce it, taste last after dry wines — flavors of orange blossom, apricot, warm honeycomb. This was symposium wine: sweetened, aromatic, served diluted with seawater by some accounts.

   Backup: Even if they don't produce Moscato, the question opens historical conversations winemakers find worth exploring.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Walk the Vineyard and Read the Vine Ages in the Trunk Wood Adventure · Free · Optional

   A vineyard walk at a family winery in the Syracuse countryside - reading the landscape that has produced wine since Greek colonization.

   Sicilian family vineyards contain vines of radically different ages — recent replants mixed with gnarled 40-60 year trunks. Volcanic and limestone soils are visible at surface: yellow-white limestone mixed with darker volcanic material from ancient Etna activity. Ask your host to walk outside before or after tasting. Look at vine trunks — old vines (25+ years) have thick, gnarled bases producing lower yields but concentrated fruit. Ask: 'Quanti anni hanno queste viti?' Pick up soil: the iron-rich clay and limestone combination makes Nero d'Avola this intense here and nowhere else.

   Backup: Even 10 minutes walking the winery perimeter gives spatial wine origin sense no tasting note can replicate.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• The Moscato di Siracusa has ancient roots

• Family operation with personal attention

• Combine with archaeological visits

• Ask about Greek heritage