Erice DOC

Erice DOC is an Italian wine denomination from the far west of Sicily, in the province of Trapani. The vineyards are situated around the historic town of Erice on the slopes of Monte Erice. The denomination was established in October 2004, making it one of Sicily’s younger DOCs.^[1]

A vineyard on Monte Erice, within the DOC zone

Production area

The DOC includes vineyards not only around Erice but also in Valderice, Custonaci, Castellammare del Golfo, and Trapani. The zone overlaps geographically with the Marsala wine region, although the two styles are distinct.^[1]

Grapes and wine styles

The leading red variety is Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), while Catarratto and Grillo dominate among the whites. DOC regulations also permit a range of international and local grapes, including Frappato, Perricone, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Grecanico, Inzolia, and Moscato of Alexandria (locally called Zibibbo).^[1][2]

The DOC covers various wine styles:

• Rosso (red) blends (minimum 60% Nero d’Avola), with Riserva versions requiring 24 months of maturation.
• Bianco (white) blends (minimum 60% Catarratto).
• Varietal wines (minimum 85% of the stated grape).
• Special styles such as late harvest (Vendemmia Tardiva), Passito, and sparkling (Spumante) wines, particularly from Zibibbo and Chardonnay.^[1][2]

Production

As of 2022, the DOC recorded 51.79 hectares of vineyards and a production of 2,121 hectolitres (≈212,100 litres; ~23,600 cases).^[3]