IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Pellegrino
The best of western Sicily
Area under vine
20,756ha (98% white varieties)
Wineries
77
Growers
1,523
Production
123,123,089kg (2025); 138,568,850kg (2024)
Styles
Sparkling, still, fortified (Dorado and Pálido)
Located in Trapani in the west of the island, Pellegrino continues a legacy of winemaking that goes back to the Phoenicians of the 8th-7th century BC. Pellegrino expresses the full range of western Sicily’s terroirs across five organically farmed estates and three main wineries.
Specialist oenologists guide the winemaking in the three different production sites – Cardilla for white and red wines, Pantelleria for passito, Moscato and island wines, Marsala for Marsala wine and fortified wines – now coordinated by the oenological vision of Pietro Russo, Master of Wine from Marsala.
Championing Grillo & Nero d’Avola
At Pellegrino, wine is about pleasure – as it has been for 140 years
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One of Sicily's oldest names, Pellegrino was founded in 1880. Run by the sixth generation of the family, it has a proud heritage of Marsala production and a growing reputation for dry wines
'At the heart of Pellegrino lie its ancient Marsala cellars: 25,000m², housing 50 vats, 210 barrels and 807 barriques '
Above: President Benedetto Renda Right: The Salinaro estate
One of the family's most important estates is Il Salinaro, 14ha of red Mediterranean limestone in the Petrosino region. Sea breezes temper the Mediterranean summer, and the estate's Il Salinaro Grillo has emerged as a refreshing and vibrant dry white wine with fruity aromas of white peach, notes of aromatic herbs and a pleasant salty hint on the palate – perfect with grilled fish.
Grillo thrives at Gazzerotta too, where a single vineyard of old vine Grillo planted on mineral-rich clay gives Senarìa – a Grillo Superiore of exotic, plush aromas of tropical fruit, yellow flowers and dried herbs.
Gazzerotta is also the cradle of Nero d'Avola, a major Sicilian grape variety whose quality potential is only beginning to be acknowledged more widely. From warm, clay soils, the Gazzerotta Nero d'Avola exhibits ripe aromas of cherries and plum with hints of spice and gentle, balanced tannins that pair well with mushroom and grilled meat dishes.
Discover more: carlopellegrino.it/en/
Photo and videos: Visualya
Published Monday 15th June
Pantelleria’s unique terroir
Off the coast of western Sicily, the island of Pantelleria, where ancient alberello vineyards have been granted UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status, is home to traditional sweet and contemporary dry wines.
Tenuta Sibà covers 8ha of volcanic terraces devoted to Zibibbo, the traditional grape of the island. Bianco di Venere, with its perfumes of orange blossom, lemon zest and seaspray, is a quintessential island wine – bone dry and the perfect aperitif.
Isesi, from high elevation vineyards, is picked in early September and aged on its lees to give a complex Mediterranean white with dried herbs, fresh peach and mineral glints. It is named after the striking megaliths found across the island.
Nes Passito di Pantelleria, the iconic sweet wine crafted from naturally sun-dried Zibibbo grapes, enchants with a rich and expressive bouquet, combining aromas of candied citrus and ripe fruit with elegant hints of Mediterranean herbs, evoking the unique character of Pantelleria.
Marsala: The foundation of excellence
At the heart of Pellegrino lie its ancient Marsala cellars: 25,000m², housing 50 vats, 210 barrels and 807 barriques.
Pellegrino’s Barrel No18 is a Vergine Riserva from the 2005 vintage, aged for over twenty years in a single cask. It is a unique and enchanting wine, intense and complex with tobacco and leather meeting citrus peel and carob – the perfect match for a fine 80% dark chocolate.
Old John 1998 is a tribute to one of the pioneers of marsala, John Woodhouse. A Marsala Superiore Riserva Ambra Semisecco, made from Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia grapes, it smells of Sicily in every sip, with ripe apricot and chestnut honey flavours.
Much like Sicily itself, Pellegrino is an expression of the many ages of wine on the island, from long-aged Marsala, shipped around the world in the 19th century, to modern dry whites and reds that suit both everyday life and special occasions.
Whether through heritage or modernity, the Pellegrino story is about innovation, pleasure and the fruits of the family's long experience with the vineyards and varieties that create the best of western Sicily.
The Pellegrino family
