ViniMilo – Etna Wine Festival

ViniMilo, the festival of Etna's volcanic wines

ViniMilo – Etna Wine Festival is the oldest and most established food and wine event in Sicily. Launched in the early 1980s, the festival takes place annually in the village of Milo, a small town in the province of Catania nestled on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna at an altitude of approximately 700 meters. For two weekends between late August and mid-September, the historic town center becomes a large open-air lounge where Etna and Sicilian wineries showcase their work and offer their labels for tasting.

Carricante and Etna Bianco Superiore

The star of ViniMilo is the Etna Bianco Superiore DOC, produced from Carricante grapes. Milo is the only area recognized by the production regulations for this specific designation, thanks to its unique volcanic soils and the microclimate of the volcano's eastern side. Alongside the whites, the event also celebrates the reds and rosés of Etna and other great wines from volcanic soils, fostering a dialogue between local producers and national and international wine experts.

Tastings, masterclasses, and street parties

The ViniMilo program balances in-depth educational sessions with popular festivities. The 'Volcanic Wine' evenings feature over one hundred labels available for open tasting, paired with high-quality local gastronomy. Masterclasses and sensory workshops, led by sommeliers from associations such as AIS, FIS, FISAR, and ONAV, guide the public through the discovery of Etna's terroir. The event also includes round-table discussions with world-renowned wine experts, meetings with authors and producers, themed dinners, and Slow Food workshops featuring Sicilian 'presìdi' (protected products). The street parties, held over the first two weekends of September, fill the village with street food, organic and zero-mile markets, local crafts, live music, and excursions on Mount Etna.

Milo, a permanent center of excellence

Organized by the Municipality of Milo in partnership with the Pro Loco and in collaboration with the 'Strada del Vino e dei Sapori dell'Etna', the festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors, tourists, and enthusiasts every year. ViniMilo has solidified Milo's reputation as a permanent center of excellence in the wine world, making this small Sicilian town a key reference point for wine tourism on Mount Etna.