Grillo
How to Say It
Sicily's white grape, a principal variety of Marsala DOC, also bottled on its own as a crisp, lemony white.
Grillo is a white grape grown almost exclusively in Sicily, where it is a principal white grape of Marsala DOC and Sicilia DOC. Its wines have crisp acidity and lemony, herbal aromas and flavours. In 1990 Marco De Bartoli began producing Grappoli del Grillo, a white wine made from Grillo alone.
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Open the appOrigin and parentage
Grillo carries the VIVC prime name Grillo, variety number 5021, and is a white-berried variety. VIVC records its pedigree as confirmed by markers: Grillo is a cross of Catarratto Bianco Comune and Muscat of Alexandria. Italy is its likely country of origin. Grillo has no recorded offspring, and its one half-sibling in WineWiki's lineage data is Torrontes.
- VIVC prime name: Grillo; VIVC variety number 5021; berry colour: white
- Country of origin: Italy (likely)
- Parents: Catarratto Bianco Comune x Muscat of Alexandria (pedigree confirmed by markers)
- Offspring: none recorded; half-sibling: Torrontes
- Grown almost exclusively in Sicily
- A principal white grape of Marsala DOC
- Marco De Bartoli began producing Grappoli del Grillo, a 100% Grillo white, in 1990
Origins and History
Grillo is one of the principal white grapes of Marsala DOC. Marco De Bartoli's estate says its Grappoli del Grillo was born in 1990 to give an identity back to a grape that until then had been used almost exclusively as a base for Marsala. De Bartoli chose to vinify Grillo on its own, treating it as a white table wine able to evolve over time.
- A principal white grape of Marsala DOC
- 1990: Marco De Bartoli begins producing Grappoli del Grillo, a 100% Grillo white
Where It Grows
Grillo is grown almost exclusively in Sicily. It is a principal white grape of Marsala DOC and Sicilia DOC. At Marco De Bartoli's Samperi estate, twelve kilometres from Marsala, the vines grow on calcareous, sandy soil.
- Grown almost exclusively in Sicily
- Calcareous, sandy soil at De Bartoli's Samperi estate, twelve kilometres from Marsala
Wine Style and Flavor Profile
Grillo has crisp acidity, with lemony, herbal aromas and flavours. It is bottled as a single varietal under Sicilia DOC: De Bartoli's Vignaverde, for one, is 100% Grillo labelled Grillo Sicilia DOC.
- Crisp acidity
- Typical aromas and flavours: lemony, herbal
- Bottled as a 100% Grillo varietal under Sicilia DOC
- A principal white grape of Sicilia DOC and Marsala DOC
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Producers bottling Grillo on its own include Donnafugata, whose SurSur is a Grillo Sicilia DOC from western Sicily, and Marco De Bartoli, whose 100% Grillo wines include Grappoli del Grillo and Vignaverde.
- Donnafugata SurSur: Grillo Sicilia DOC from western Sicily
- Marco De Bartoli: Grappoli del Grillo and Vignaverde, both 100% Grillo
Sources and last verified
Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=5021 ; https://marcodebartoli.it/vino/grappoli-del-grillo/ ; https://marcodebartoli.it/vino/vignaverde/ ; https://www.donnafugata.it/en/product/sursur/ Reference sources: https://italianwinecentral.com/variety/grillo/ Last verified 2026-10-20
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See the glassLemony and herbal, with crisp acidity.
- Donnafugata SurSur GrilloA Grillo Sicilia DOC from western Sicily, grown on Donnafugata's Contessa Entellina estate and in other suitable areas; the 2025 shows tropical fruit and Mediterranean maquis on the nose and a fresh, savoury palate.
- Marco De Bartoli Vignaverde GrilloA 100% Grillo Sicilia DOC from Contrada Samperi in western Sicily, fermented with indigenous yeasts in steel tanks and aged six months on its lees in steel.
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- Grillo is a white grape grown almost exclusively in Sicily; it is a principal white grape of Sicilia DOC and Marsala DOC
- Parentage: Catarratto Bianco Comune x Muscat of Alexandria, pedigree confirmed by markers (VIVC variety number 5021)
- Marco De Bartoli began producing Grappoli del Grillo, a 100% Grillo white, in 1990
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