What's the ideal wine for St. Valentine's Day? The traditional Sicilian wine cellar of Duca di Salaparuta at Casteldaccia, near Palermo, proposes its dessert wine ALA, Antica Liquorvino Amarascata (Ancient Fortified Dry Wine), ideally to be savoured along with chocolate.

According to legend, Sonia de Ortusar, the wife of Duke Enrico, was very partial to French sweets and chocolate. Her devoted husband therefore created a red aromatic wine for her to imbibe with her favourite desserts, and thus ALA was born under a romantic star.

Duca di Salaparuta was the first winery to develop a single varietal wine from the native Sicilian Nero d'Avola grape.

The Duca di Salaparuta group comprises another two celebrated Sicilian brands: Corvo and Florio.  

The splendid Florio wine cellars at Marsala, set in lush landscaped gardens, are a major wine tourism attraction. For a St. Valentine toast, Florio suggests its Spumante Brut Grillo (Grillo Dry Sparkling Wine) with its romantic lily logo that recalls the elegant era of the Belle Epoque, summed up in the Boldini portrait of the celebrated beauty, Donna Franca Florio.:

Info: www.duca.it Tel. +39.091.945201 Florio Cellar visits: +39.0923.781111