Zafferana Etnea or Randazzo, Etnaannual, summer2 days
The Etna Wine Festival is a summer consumer-facing event on the slopes of the volcano, typically in Zafferana Etnea or Randazzo. Dozens of Etna DOC producers pour Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Carricante alongside food from Etna's mountain larder (pistachios, honey, mushrooms). The summer timing allows evening tastings as temperatures cool after sunset.
Tip: Evening sessions on the volcano are the most atmospheric. Temperatures at 700 metres drop sharply after sunset; a light jacket is useful even in July.
Menfiannual, first weekend of October, Friday to Sunday (2 to 4 October in 2026, 3 to 5 October in 2025)3 days, Friday to Sunday
Menfi's historic centre becomes a spread-out venue for three days of tastings, masterclasses, talks, showcooking and evening shows, with Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III at the centre. The 2026 edition was the 28th, with panels on DOC Menfi and the new generation of wine producers including Planeta and Cantine Settesoli, many tastings and masterclasses at Maharìa Casa Planeta, winery and olive mill visits and an urban tour of the town. Entry to the centre and the piazza shows is free, while some tastings, masterclasses and visits need booking or a ticket.
Contessa Entellinaannual, a Friday to Sunday weekend in late July (25 to 27 July in 2025, the seventh edition; 24 to 26 July in 2026, the eighth)3 days, Friday to Sunday
Contessa Entellina holds three days of wine, food and music: an opening on Friday evening in Piazza Matrice with a tasting and a show, and the main Saturday evening tasting at the Abbazia Santa Maria del Bosco. The 2026 edition, the eighth, brought 28 wineries from the Terre Sicane. The tasting carnet of five tastings from more than one hundred labels cost 28 euros and included the official glass and bag.
Biancavilla, south-west Etnaannual since 2022, in autumn (29 September to 1 October in 2023; Friday to Sunday, 10 to 12 October in 2025; Thursday to Sunday, 8 to 11 October in 2026)4 days in 2026
Biancavilla, on the south-western slope of Etna, hosts four days of tastings, masterclasses, talks and cooking shows at Villa delle Favare. The organisers reported about 4,000 visitors and around 50 wineries and olive oil producers at the fifth edition in October 2026. The fourth edition ran from 10 to 12 October 2025.
Palermoannual, spring (April or May)2 days
Assovini Sicilia's flagship annual event, held in Palermo, brings together over 100 Sicilian producers to present new vintages to international press and trade buyers.
Tip: The walk-around tasting on the second day is the best opportunity to compare Etna, Nero d'Avola, Cerasuolo di Vittoria and Grillo side by side. Book accommodation early as hotel space in central Palermo during the event is limited.
Randazzo or Solicchiata, Etnaannual, April2 days
The Contrade dell'Etna gathering is the premier event for tasting single-contrada Nerello Mascalese wines from the named lava-flow micro-zones of the Etna DOC. Held on or near the volcano (typically in Randazzo on the north face), the event is invitation-heavy and trade-oriented but increasingly opening consumer allocation. It is the only place to taste Solicchiata, Calderara Sottana, Guardiola, Caselle and Santo Spirito contrade side by side.
Tip: Follow the Etna DOC consortium and individual producer social media channels for ticket availability, which typically goes live four to six weeks before the event.
