By Rose Murray Brown MW   Published in The Scotsman 27 June 2026

Just back from a trip around Sicily’s vineyards, I have been reflecting on the grapes which excited me most in the current Sicilian wine renaissance.  Surprisingly, one variety I kept returning to – as a zippy refreshing dry white with great potential – was Sicily’s Grillo grape.

Grillo is a variety which has long been considered a bit of an underdog.  This aromatic white grape was historically popular in blends, principally used alongside Inzolia and Catarratto in the production of the island’s famous fortified wine Marsala.  Now this fabulous fortified from Sicily’s west coast is not so fashionable, local winemakers are nurturing the Grillo grape to produce something completely different – with some outstanding examples.

One of the most exciting initiatives spearheading the dynamism and future of Grillo – is Salt West Project.  This is a new enterprise created by Italy’s three Masters of Wine: Pietro Russo MW (who is a Sicilian winemaker living in Marsala), Gabriele Gorelli MW and Andrea Lonardi MW (pictured above) who met whilst studying for the MW exam.

Keen to revive Marsala’s neglected vineyards and fortunes of the Grillo grape, the trio recently bought a hectare of vineyards right on the famous Stagnone lagoon selling the wine under Officina del Vento.  This Grillo is grown so close to the saltpans, you can really taste the salinity in the wines.

“We chose to focus on Grillo as it comes from this area”, explained Gorelli, “it is an exciting grape with a great future with good resistance to heat and drought; it can accumulate sugar with high acidity keeping the wines wonderfully fresh”.

The Italian MW trio also work with local growers showing them how to get the best from the Grillo grape.  These include Cantina Fina, Mastro di Baglio, Francesco Intorcia Heritage and Baglio Oro – and they plan to expand their Grillo-based portfolio.

Another Grillo stronghold I discovered just out to sea from the Marsala coast is Mozia, an island with an English connection as vineyards were planted by English-Sicilian Joseph Whitaker who once owned the island.  Today Alberto Tasca of Tasca d’Almerita winery has partnered with the Whitaker Foundation cultivating 13 hectares of Grillo on Mozia using low bush Marsalese pruning methods, to avoid hot winds and salty sea air.

Sicily’s plantings of Grillo have increased dramatically to 8,000 hectares across the whole island.  Many are planted in western Sicily, but I also tasted excellent examples from the south east like Adrianna Occhipinti’s ‘SM’, grown in Iblei mountains in south east Sicily, and Valle Dell’Acate in Acate.

Grillo is a C19 Sicilian cross between Zibibbo (aka Muscat of Alexandria) and Catarratto grapes.  Tastewise it has Muscat’s grapey aromas, vibrant natural acidity and rich citric fruits.  It was hugely popular in Sicily until the 1960s, when higher yielding grapes took over to cater for bulk wine production.  In 1980s it was revived by Marsala producer Marco de Bartoli who saw the potential in Grillo and made the first vibrant dry white from the grape.

Since then Grillo has proved itself to be capable of producing a variety of interesting styles, depending on the microclimate and winemaking.  It can produce zippy easy drinking whites similar to Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc with a Sicilian herby edge (almost every UK supermarket now stocks one under £10) – but it also has affinity to oak ageing and can create intense rich complex ageworthy wines.

If you like vibrant racy acidity, citric fruits, nutty and herby undertones in your dry whites, try the interesting selection below.  And if you are heading to Sicily on holiday also seek out other producers of Grillo like Lombardo Vini, Cristo di Campobello, Alessandro di Camporeale, Fondo Antico and Feudo Maccari.

 

 

GRILLO ZAGRA 2024 Valle dell’Acate

£13 Call me Wine; Vinissimo

Rich textured, ripe fruits, creamy texture

 

GRILLO SUR SUR 2025 Donnafugata

£19.75 Valvona & Crolla

Scented peaches with soft creamy stone fruit palate

 

GRILLO LA SEGRETA 2024 Planeta

£17.95 Fine Wine Portobello

Apricots, rich lychee fruits, herby

 

GRILLO MOZIA 2024 Tasca d’Almerita ***STAR BUY***

£35 NY Wines

Lime & grapefruit flavours, herby undertones with a briny saline finish

 

GRILLO VIGNAVERDE 2024 Marco de Bartoli

£24 Sip Wines; Cave Bristol

Fresh fragrant. vibrant zippy, minerally, nutty finish

 

GRILLO 2023 Officina del Vento ***STAR BUY***

£59 Noble Grape

Old vine oaked Grillo from Stagnone lagoon; intense rich citric fruits, great complexity with freshness and salinity

GRILLO RISERVA FIRMA DEL TEMPO 2023 Cantina Fina

£25 Call me Wine

Another good single vineyard Grillo from Stagnone; oaked, rich, tangy fruits

GRILLO ‘SM’ BIANCO 2023 Arianna Occhipinti ***STAR BUY***

£66 Shrine to the Vine; Parched Wine

Savoury, pithy citric fruit, very rich textured east coast Grillo.

 

 

Join Rose’s Fine Wine Dinners in Edinburgh, St Andrews & East Lothian in Autumn 2026 www.rosemurraybrown.com