Stress testing in Sicily: exploring the wine secrets behind the hype.

I'll start with a full resolution: I am not an expert on Sicilian wine. Wine professionals who are experienced can tell you about Sicily's native varieties, the incredible black soil of Etna's vineyards, and the lava flaws that randomly (and with a "I was here first" feeling) interrupt the methodical patterns of rows of vines. But here are five things I know that have inspired me to look into the variables affecting Sicilian wine and Etna in particular, which are experiencing their moment of glory right now. Is the wine itself worth such avalanche-like praise? Decide for yourself. In the meantime, pay attention to these five variables in fame.

A few years ago, I led a research project about future''Italian winemaking and sales opportunities in the U.S.

The team included American and Italian professionals with deep experience in their respective markets. The Italian delegation decided without question to bet on Sicily as the country's most promising region for the future. The roots of Sicily's current success were laid and planted many years ago.

A recent article by Lucy Shaw in The Drinks Business pointed out that land prices on Etna are ten times higher than the rest of Sicily.

Who owns these properties? In some cases it's small, traditional brands that are now in an optimal position to capitalize on Etna's popularity.

Italy and Sicily, like many other wine regions in Europe, are facing labor exhaustion compared to the more readily available labor force in past years. Feudo Maccari's workforce is now filled with people whose country of origin has more to do with growing cocoa rather than grapes. Nevertheless, managers and agronomists like Enrico Bijarini at Feudo Maccari are finding opportunities to find parallels in maturity and ideal harvest time. Bigharini sees positive results in terms of employee retention: the great wines of the world are always great, he says, in part''Thanks to the consistency of the same team working on the same land year after year and sometimes for decades. This is becoming increasingly rare, although Maccari's efforts offer a modern solution.

It's hard not to notice the non-Italian conversations that take place in airports, corridors, restaurants and sidewalks in Sicily, especially among tourists from the US, China and Australia.

The impact (both positive and negative) of popular culture is a subject of debate, including the success of a dark HBO comedy series called "White Lotus" filmed in Palermo and Noto, two of the most photogenic places in Sicily. It's hard not to notice the high density of selfies taken at locations that are emblematic of the plot of the TV series 'White''Lotus'.

The wine from Sicily is showing its appeal at the moment. As with any good narrative, there is more to the story than is apparent at first glance. Or, in this case, the wine in the glass.

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