Catarratto is the most planted white grape of Sicily and one of the most widely grown in Italy. Long used for bulk wine and Marsala, it now makes fresh, lemony dry whites, especially in the hills of western Sicily, and it is one of the parents of Grillo.
There are several forms of Catarratto, the main ones being Catarratto Bianco Comune and Catarratto Bianco Lucido (named for its shiny berries); today they are considered biotypes of a single variety. DNA research shows that Catarratto is related to Garganega, the grape of Soave, and that crossed with Zibibbo it gave birth to Grillo.
Catarratto is grown mainly in western Sicily, in the provinces of Trapani, Palermo and Agrigento. The hills around Alcamo, inland from the Gulf of Castellammare, are its traditional home for dry whites. It also grows on the island of Salina and on Mount Etna, where it may be blended into Etna Bianco.
The vine is productive and adapts well to heat. On the plains it gives large crops of neutral wine; on higher, cooler hillsides with lower yields it gives aromatic, fresh wines with good acidity.
Modern Catarratto is crisp and citrusy, made to drink young. Lees-aged and hillside versions have more texture, while skin-contact Catarratto from natural-wine producers shows amber colour, dried fruit and a gentle grip.
For a first taste, look for a Sicilia DOC Catarratto or a Catarratto–Grillo or Catarratto–Inzolia blend: they are fresh, inexpensive and easy to find. Producers worth knowing include Donnafugata, Firriato, Rallo, Tasca d'Almerita and Cantine Nicosia. For something more unusual, try a skin-contact Catarratto.
Catarratto is a parent of Grillo and often blended with Inzolia. Read our Sicilian wine guide or browse the grape varieties index.