Island-wide: Marsala, Ragusa, Noto, Taorminaannual, 10 August (Notte di San Lorenzo, the Perseids meteor shower)1 evening
Calici di Stelle is a national Italian wine event held on the night of San Lorenzo, when the Perseids meteor shower peaks. Across Sicily, participating towns open piazzas, city walls and hilltop esplanades for outdoor by-the-glass tastings under the stars. In Sicily the event is active in Marsala, Ragusa, Noto and Taormina, with local producers pouring alongside meteor-watching.
Tip: The Marsala Calici di Stelle focuses on fortified and oxidative styles suited to warm evenings. Noto leans into Nero d'Avola and Moscato di Noto. Taormina's clifftop location makes for the most atmospheric setting on the island.
San Vito lo Capo, Trapani provinceannual, late September10 days
Though primarily a food event celebrating couscous traditions of the Mediterranean, Couscous Fest in San Vito lo Capo on the Trapani coast includes a substantial wine component with daily tastings of Sicilian DOC wines, particularly Grillo, Catarratto and Marsala from nearby Trapani producers. The event draws chefs and producers from North Africa, the Middle East and Sicily simultaneously. Wine pavilions are open throughout the festival.
Tip: The wine programme is secondary to the couscous competition but the Grillo and Catarratto pourings from Trapani-area producers are worth attending; pair with the Sicilian fish couscous of San Vito.
Marsala, Trapani provinceannual, late September to OctoberWeekend events at individual producers, varies
During the September-October harvest, Cantine Florio, Pellegrino, Donnafugata (Marsala base) and Marco de Bartoli open their historic bagli (warehouse cellars) for guided visits showing the new-vintage Grillo and Catarratto base wines beginning their Marsala solera ageing process alongside reserves going back decades. The combination of active fermentation aromas and aged-oxidative notes makes harvest visits to Marsala cellars a distinctive tasting.
Tip: The Florio bagli on the Marsala seafront contains reserves over a century old; the tour guide can usually pour a Vergine Stravecchio alongside the new vintage base wine for the full spectrum.
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.
