Grillo

Sicilian white — lemony, saline, formerly the Marsala backbone.

Grillo is Sicily's leading dry white grape, historically blended into Marsala fortified wine. As Marsala demand collapsed in the 20th century, growers replanted toward dry whites; modern Grillo is fresh, citric, and saline with light tropical notes from the warm Sicilian sun. Quality producers in Western Sicily (Donnafugata, Tasca d'Almerita, Marco de Bartoli) bottle Grillo as a varietal table wine. The grape is genetically a cross of Catarratto and Moscato d'Alessandria.