Società del Vino: Two Grapes, One Sicilian Coast

Grecanico and Grillo — Two Whites from Menfi

Two bottles from the same winery, the same vintage, and the same stretch of Sicily's southwestern coast. But two different grapes with two very different stories to tell.

This time, Società del Vino takes us to Menfi, a coastal town in southwestern Sicily, where Cantine Settesoli produces wines that reflect the island's Mediterranean climate and long winemaking history.

We have a 2025 Grecanico Terre Siciliane IGT and a 2025 Grillo Sicilia DOC.

Both are white wines. Both are 12.5% alcohol. Both come from Cantine Settesoli.

And both are good examples of why Sicily deserves more attention for its white wines.

When people think about Sicilian wine, they often think about Nero d'Avola, the island's famous red grape, or perhaps the volcanic wines of Mount Etna.

But Sicily has an impressive collection of white grapes, too.

And these two bottles give us an opportunity to explore a couple of them.

Cantine Settesoli — A Winery Built Around a Community

Before getting into the wines, there's something interesting about the producer.

Cantine Settesoli isn't a small family estate. It's a cooperative founded in 1958 by a group of Sicilian grape growers.

Today, the cooperative brings together approximately 2,000 growers and plays an important economic role in the communities around Menfi, Montevago, and Santa Margherita di Belice.

That's a pretty remarkable story. Instead of each grower producing and selling wine independently, they work together through a large cooperative that provides winemaking expertise, production facilities, and access to international markets.

And despite its size, Settesoli has maintained a strong focus on Sicilian grape varieties.

Grecanico and Grillo are two of them.

The winery also emphasizes environmental sustainability, something you'll notice on the back labels of both bottles. They carry VIVA sustainability certification and are marked as suitable for vegans.

But the most interesting part is still what's inside.

Settesoli Grecanico 2025

Terre Siciliane IGT · Menfi, Sicily · 100% Grecanico · 12.5%

Our first bottle is Grecanico.

And if that name isn't familiar, you're probably not alone.

Grecanico is one of Sicily's traditional white grapes, particularly associated with the western part of the island.

The name sounds Greek, which makes sense given Sicily's long history of Greek settlement and influence. But the grape's exact historical origins are more complicated than its name might suggest.

Grecanico is also closely related to the Garganega grape used in Soave, one of northern Italy's best-known white wines.

That's an interesting connection.

Two regions separated by hundreds of miles, producing wines from closely related grape material, but with very different climates and growing conditions.

Settesoli grows its Grecanico in sandy soils and ferments the wine in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

That helps preserve the grape's natural freshness and delicate aromatics rather than adding flavors from oak.

What's in the glass

This is the lighter, fresher personality of our two Sicilian whites.

Settesoli describes its Grecanico as savory and refreshing, with aromas of oleander, broom flowers, and lemon peel.

The back label also mentions ginger.

Expect a pale straw-yellow color with greenish reflections, lively acidity, citrus notes, and a clean, refreshing finish.

At 12.5% alcohol, it should be easygoing without feeling thin.

And that's exactly the kind of white wine I like to have available when the weather is warm and dinner is going to be something simple.

Serve it around 50–54°F.

What I'd eat with it

I'd start with a Caprese salad.

Fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, basil, good olive oil, and a little salt. Nothing complicated.

The wine's acidity should work beautifully with the tomatoes and mozzarella.

I'd also pour it with grilled shrimp, octopus carpaccio, lemon chicken, or a simple plate of fresh seafood.

The winery suggests grilled chicken and Caprese salad, which tells you quite a bit about the style they're aiming for.

Fresh food. Fresh wine.

Sometimes that's all you need.

Frank's Take

What interests me about Grecanico is that it isn't one of the international white grapes we see everywhere.

It's not Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

It's a grape that has become part of Sicily's identity, and that's what makes exploring Italian wine so interesting.

You can travel from northern Italy to Sicily and discover entirely different white wines along the way.

And the next bottle takes us in another direction without even leaving the winery.

Settesoli Grillo 2025

Sicilia DOC · Menfi, Sicily · 100% Grillo · 12.5%

Same producer.

Same vintage.

Different grape.

Grillo has become one of Sicily's signature white varieties, but its history is a little unusual.

Unlike some ancient Italian grapes, Grillo has a relatively well-documented origin.

It was created in the 19th century by crossing Catarratto with Zibibbo, also known as Muscat of Alexandria.

And originally, Grillo became particularly important in the production of Marsala, Sicily's famous fortified wine.

That's because the grape could produce wines with good concentration and relatively high sugar levels.

But over time, Sicilian winemakers discovered that Grillo could also make excellent dry white wines.

Today, it's one of the grapes helping redefine Sicily's reputation.

And this Settesoli bottling is a good example of the modern style.

What's in the glass

Compared with Grecanico, Grillo generally brings a little more aromatic intensity and texture.

Settesoli describes this wine as balanced, mineral, and fragrant, with aromas of honey, citrus fruit, and orange blossom.

That last aroma is particularly interesting.

Orange blossom, or zagara in Italian, is one of the characteristic fragrances associated with Sicily.

It's a reminder that wine aromas don't always come from grapes alone. The grape variety, growing conditions, and winemaking all contribute to what eventually ends up in the glass.

Expect citrus flavors, floral notes, refreshing acidity, and a slightly fuller mouthfeel than the Grecanico.

The mention of honey doesn't necessarily mean sweetness. Grillo is commonly produced as a dry wine, and honey can simply be part of its aromatic character.

Like the Grecanico, this wine is made in stainless steel to preserve freshness.

I'd serve it around 50–54°F.

What I'd eat with it

Calamari.

Preferably lightly fried, with a squeeze of lemon.

The winery specifically recommends fried squid, and I can see why.

The wine's acidity should cut through the richness of the frying while the citrus and floral notes complement the seafood.

I'd also try it with grilled swordfish, shrimp risotto, linguine alle vongole, or a simple seafood pasta.

Settesoli also suggests legume soups.

That might sound like an unusual pairing for a white wine, but Grillo's slightly fuller texture makes it a reasonable match.

And if I were making dinner at home, I wouldn't hesitate to pour this alongside chicken with lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs.

Frank's Take

Grillo is one of those grapes that reminds me why it's worth looking beyond the familiar names on wine labels.

It has an interesting history, a connection to Marsala, and a completely different personality when made as a modern dry white wine.

And I like that this bottle comes from the same producer as the Grecanico.

Because now we have an opportunity to compare the grapes without changing the winery, the vintage, or the general growing region.

That's a much more interesting tasting than simply opening two random white wines.

IGT Versus DOC — What's the Difference?

There's another interesting detail on these bottles.

The Grecanico is labeled Terre Siciliane IGT.

The Grillo is labeled Sicilia DOC.

So what's the difference?

IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica. It identifies wine from a defined geographical area while generally allowing producers more flexibility in grape varieties and production methods.

DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata. It has more specific production regulations covering things like permitted grape varieties, geographical boundaries, and winemaking requirements.

But here's the important part.

DOC doesn't automatically mean better wine than IGT.

It means the wine follows a different set of production rules.

Some of Italy's most celebrated wines have historically been produced outside the traditional DOC and DOCG classifications.

So I wouldn't choose the Grillo over the Grecanico simply because one says DOC and the other says IGT.

I'd rather taste them both.

Which brings us to the fun part.

Two Bottles, One Sicilian Coast

What makes this pair interesting isn't just that they're both Sicilian white wines.

It's that they give us two different expressions of the same region.

The Grecanico should be the more delicate and refreshing of the two, with floral aromas, lemon peel, and lively acidity.

The Grillo should offer a little more aromatic intensity, citrus, honey, orange blossom, and a slightly fuller texture.

Both are designed to be enjoyed young.

Both should work beautifully with Mediterranean food.

And both come from a cooperative that has helped make Sicilian wine available well beyond the island.

If I were opening them together, I'd start with the Grecanico.

Taste it on its own, then try it with a little fresh mozzarella or seafood.

Then move to the Grillo.

Pay attention to the difference in aroma, texture, and finish.

Same winery. Same year. Same alcohol percentage.

Two different grapes.

And that's the kind of comparison that makes learning about Italian wine so enjoyable.

You don't need a complicated tasting sheet or a hundred-point rating system.

Sometimes all you need is two bottles, a couple of glasses, and something good to eat.

Salute!

— Frank