DIVINE SICILY Wine, Cuisine & Culture Tour - Fall 2012
October 6 - October 15, 2012
Flying into Catania, our adventure begins on the eastern side of the island near Mt. Etna. We'll stay on a working organic vineyard where we'll taste world-class wines and experience food culture harking back to the ancient Greeks. As we work our way across the island, we'll be staying on an olive estate, exploring a town famous for its ceramics, and tasting the only DOCG wine in Sicily, the velvety Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The road trip ends on the western side of the island near Marsala, where we’ll sample some of the Arab-influenced specialties of the area (you'll only be 85 miles from North Africa at this point), learn about some of the indigenous grapes of that region and explore some archeological sites. You'll be able to depart from the Palermo airport for your connecting flight. We look forward to traveling with you!
Itinerary (click to download printable PDF)
Registration & Information (click to download printable PDF)
Arrive Catania: Saturday, October 6
Depart Palermo: Monday, October 15
Day 1
Saturday, October 6: Arrive Catania airport and transport to Tenuta Scilio Di Valle Galfina. Located in Linguaglossa on the northeastern side of Mt. Etna. The farmhouse and cellars date back to 1815 and are surrounded by organically cultivated vineyards. This beautiful agriturismo in one of the most diverse and picturesque regions of Sicily will be our home for the first three days. Get settled in and relax before we have a cooking class and tasting of the wines from the Scilio estate. Dinner at the Valle Galfina farmhouse.
Day 2
Sunday, October 7: After breakfast we'll take a ride on the Circumetnea Train circling around the base of Mt. Etna. We’ll be passing through lovely villages, glimpsing views of the Ionian Sea, and watching for plumes of smoke in the crater of Mt. Etna. Stopping for lunch and a wine tasting along the way, we’ll make our way back to Randazzo to explore this medieval jewel and then on to a wine tasting at Fattorie Romeo Del Castello Vineyards. We'll return to Valle Galfina to relax before dinner. Sleep at farmhouse.
Day 3
Monday, October 8: Breakfast, then a day trip to the village of Solicchiata for a wine tasting/discussion with Frank Cornelissen. Frank uses local grape varietals from ancient ungrafted vines that express territorial identity. This controversial master will give you a completely different view of winemaking. Driving over the mountain to Tre Castagni to visit the vineyard of Ciro Biondi, we’ll enjoy lunch in the vineyard and then make our way back to the farmhouse. Tonight…pizza pie for dinner!
Day 4
Tuesday, October 9: After breakfast, we say farewell to our hosts at Valle Galfina and make our way to the southeastern part of the island. We will travel to Azienda Arianna Occhipinti near Vittoria and have a splendid lunch with Arianna and a tasting of her biodynamic wines. We will then travel south, all the way to the coast to Palma di Montechiaro, where we'll be staying at the gorgeous olive estate, Mandranova. Get settled, relax, and have dinner there at the farm.
Day 5
Wednesday, October 10: Breakfast, then we'll tour the Mandranova estate, and pick olives if you'd like, tour the olive mill, and a very special treat – taste freshly pressed olive oil. Guiseppe and Silvia di Vincenzo, the proprietors of Mandranova, produce fine mono-cultivar olive oil and other artisanal products from their farm. We'll then take a day trip to Butera for a wine tasting and lunch at Feudo Principi di Butera.
Day 6
Thursday, October 11: Today, if you’d like, we can arrange a tour of the Valley of the Temples in nearby Agrigento. The Valley of the Temples is one of the most important archeological sites in the world, founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC. The afternoon can be spent relaxing by the pool at Mandranova or if the weather is nice, a walk on the beach at nearby Marina di Palma. Another option would be to join Silvia for a cooking class featuring Sicilian home cooking. Dinner at Mandranova and then off to bed.
Day 7
Friday, October 12: We'll have breakfast and then depart Mandranova, heading toward the west coast to Baglio Donna Franca. The Baglio is beautifully situated on a hill overlooking the Egadi Islands. This part of Sicily is located only 85 miles from North Africa, so the food culture and architecture reflect a North African-Arab influence. We’ll get settled in and relax before we have a welcome glass of wine from the cellars and dinner at the Baglio.
Day 8
Saturday, October 13: After breakfast, we’ll visit the ancient walled city of Marsala, which takes its name from the Arabic, Mars-al-Allah, meaning the harbor of God. We’ll visit the open air Mercado, have a Marsala wine tasting along with a light lunch and then head back to the Baglio to have a cooking class with Fabio. Next, a tour of the Baglio’s cellars with wine maker Giacomo Ansaldi. We’ll enjoy what we made in cooking class for dinner.
Day 9
Sunday, October 14: For our last day on the island, we’ll take a day trip to Bosco Falconeria near the town of Alcamo, to meet with esteemed food writer and historian, Mary Taylor Simeti. Mary will join us for a tasting of their organic wines from their estate and a lunch will be presented with products grown and produced there on the farm. I highly recommend reading any work of Mary Taylor Simeti’s before coming on our journey. A few of my favorites are “On Persephone’s Island: A Sicilian Journal” and “Pomp and Sustenance: Twenty Five Centuries of Sicilian Food”. From there, we’ll drive to Segesta to view one of the best preserved Greek Temples in the world. Back to the Baglio for a special farewell dinner.
Day 10
Monday, October 15: Breakfast, then transfer to Trapani or Palermo airport. Arrivederci to Sicilia!