Historic Trapani wine bar and restaurant in the Jewish quarter, with Sicilian music evenings and a strong focus on Marsala and Trapani-province wines.
The list: Trapani wine bar with a laid-back atmosphere, local musicians performing Thursday to Saturday and a 180-label Sicilian list
Tip: Thursday-Saturday live music with Sicilian folk and jazz; arrive before 22:00 for a table. The Marsala and Grillo pours are the best in central Trapani.
Address: Via Giudecca 32, 91100 Trapani, Italy, Sicily
Candlelit Trapani wine bar in the historic centro storico with Marsala DOC and Grillo as the centrepiece; a quieter counterpart to the livelier seafront bars.
The list: Low-lit Trapani enoteca with 200 Sicilian labels; 18 by the glass; Marsala DOC vertical and Grillo pours are the house anchors
Tip: The Marsala vertical tasting here covers five years of Superiore Riserva from two producers side by side: the best value fortified-wine education in western Sicily.
Intimate candlelit Catania wine bar focused on Etna DOC and Sicilian artisan producers. Strong by-the-glass selection from small estates.
The list: Intimate low-lit Catania wine bar with 200-plus bottles focused on Etna DOC and Sicilian producers; 20 by the glass in a candlelit back room
Tip: The most atmospheric wine bar in central Catania for an Etna-focused evening. The cellar room has bare stone and candlelight; book ahead in summer.
Intimate Palermo enoteca with candlelit setting, a deep Sicilian cellar and personal service. Hosts occasional producer evenings and vintage vertical tastings.
The list: Candlelit Palermo enoteca with 300-plus labels and intimate seating; specialises in Sicilian artisan producers and aged vintages
Tip: One of Palermo's most atmospheric wine spaces. The owner knows every producer personally; ask for a vertical of an aged Nero d'Avola from Gulfi to experience the grape's development arc.
Taormina wine bar on the famous Piazza del Duomo, with a terrace view of the Baroque cathedral and Mount Etna. Focused Etna DOC selection by the glass.
The list: Taormina's most refined wine bar, with Etna DOC and Sicilian premium selection; 25 by the glass; terrace with Etna view
Tip: The outdoor terrace at the Piazza del Duomo is Taormina's most atmospheric wine-tasting spot; the view of the illuminated Baroque cathedral with Etna behind it is unmatched on the island.
Atmospheric Ragusa Ibla wine bar in a historic stone cellar, focused on Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG and the natural wine producers of the Ragusa area.
The list: Candlelit Ragusa Ibla wine bar with 180 Sicilian labels; strong on Cerasuolo di Vittoria and natural producers from the Ragusa-Vittoria area
Tip: The most intimate late-night spot in Ragusa Ibla's baroque piazza, with candles, arched stone ceilings and a list focused on the DOCG zone around Vittoria.
Candlelit Trapani wine bar in the historic centro storico with Marsala DOC and Grillo as the centrepiece; a quieter counterpart to the livelier seafront bars.
The list: Low-lit Trapani enoteca with 200 Sicilian labels; 18 by the glass; Marsala DOC vertical and Grillo pours are the house anchors
Tip: The Marsala vertical tasting here covers five years of Superiore Riserva from two producers side by side: the best value fortified-wine education in western Sicily.
Atmospheric Noto wine bar in a historic vaulted cellar, focused on Val di Noto Nero d'Avola, Frappato and orange wine. Intimate candlelit atmosphere on the main corso.
The list: Intimate Noto wine cellar with stone-vaulted interior; 15 by-the-glass selections focused on Val di Noto Nero d'Avola and orange wine
Tip: The stone cellar setting makes this Noto's most atmospheric late-evening pour; ask for the orange Zibibbo by a small-producer if the season's allocation has arrived.