Wine By Grape Variety | Catarratto

Catarratto is a white wine grape variety grown on the island of Sicily and is mostly used in the production of light, easy-drinking white wines. Despite being grown almost exclusively in Sicily, it is one of Italy's most commonly planted grape varieties, making up around 60 percent of the island's total vineyard area.

Catarratto is commonly regarded (and widely used) as a lower-quality blending component, or an ingredient in Marsala wines, as well as grape concentrate. It is high-yielding and can be rather neutral-tasting, with low acidity. However, with careful vinification from dedicated producers the variety has shown the capacity to produce interesting wines with juicy texture and crisp lemon flavours.

Recent DNA testing has suggested that Catarratto is probably a descendent of Garganega, the key white-wine grape variety in northeastern Italy's Soave wines.