Western Sicily’s iconic Marsala wines epitomise the values associated with sweet and fortified wines. It was therefore only natural that the organisers of the first dedicated session for these styles should choose the region to host the competition.
The choice of Lilibea to host the competition stems from an agreement signed in Palermo between the Assessore regionale all’Agricoltura, Antonio Scilla, and the competition’s chairman Baudouin Havaux. Some fifty international judges will be able to visit the vineyards and taste these iconic wines from 20 to 23 September 2022.
Sicily’s sweet wines
Sicily is renowned for its sweet and noble rot wines, particularly Marsala, an appellation wine made from the Muscat and Malvoisie grape varieties. This category of premium quality wines share some common characteristics with the island itself. Both of them have their roots in an ancient past, they are set within unique landscapes, are closely linked to food and associated with a rich cultural heritage. The wines show a rare intensity and their variety is matched only by the myriad hues of the landscape. The native grape varieties offer the best examples of the time-honoured traditions which set them apart from other regions of the world.
The aim of this Session is to direct media attention towards these specific wines, especially the bountiful array of sweet, fortified and noble rot wines from Sicily such as Marsala, Passito de Pantelleria, Malvasia delle Lipari, Moscato di Noto and DOC wines made from Zibbibo and Malvasia.
About the competition
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is an international competition during which over 10,000 wines are entered by producers to be tasted and judged by a panel of experts. Our experienced judges taste the competing wines with a single-minded goal, which is to select wines of impeccable quality, with no bias stemming from the label or an appellation’s prestige. The competition is one of the most significant international events of its kind.
