# Olive oil and wine of the Madonie: PDO, wineries, mills

> Madonie olive oil and wine: Val di Mazara PDO and Sicilia PGI oil, the Nebba olive of Scillato, the Contea di Sclafani DOC, a Castelbuono winery and festivals.

- Page: https://www.lemadonie.it/en/food/olive-oil-and-wine/
- Updated: 2026-10-19
- Other languages: [Italiano](https://www.lemadonie.it/sapori/olio-vino.md) · [Español](https://www.lemadonie.it/es/gastronomia/aceite-y-vino.md) · [Français](https://www.lemadonie.it/fr/saveurs/huile-et-vin.md) · [Deutsch](https://www.lemadonie.it/de/kulinarik/olivenoel-und-wein.md)

In the Madonie, extra virgin olive oil falls entirely within the Val di Mazara PDO area, which covers the whole province of Palermo, and wine has its own designation, the Contea di Sclafani DOC, on the western side between Sclafani Bagni, Caltavuturo and Valledolmo. Scillato has a traditional olive, the Nebba, and Castelbuono a biodynamic winery you can visit. Three wine festivals, between June and September, and one olive oil festival, in November, are the easiest way to taste.

**At a glance**

- **Olive oil**: Val di Mazara PDO (province of Palermo and part of Agrigento) and Sicilia PGI (the whole island).
- **Typical olive**: Nebba of Scillato, for the table and for oil, hand-picked between November and December.
- **Wine**: Contea di Sclafani or Valledolmo-Contea di Sclafani DOC, white and red.
- **Winery to visit**: Abbazia Santa Anastasia, Castelbuono.
- **Festivals**: DiVino Festival (end of June), Sclafani Bagni Wine & Food Festival (end of August), A Pistata (end of September), Sagra dell'Ulivo (early November).

## Madonie extra virgin olive oil

### Val di Mazara PDO

According to the [protection consortium](https://www.dopvaldimazara.it/), the olives for Val di Mazara PDO oil are grown, pressed and bottled throughout the province of Palermo and in some municipalities of the province of Agrigento. The sixteen towns of the Madonie are all in the province of Palermo, so oil made here can carry the PDO if it meets the product rules.

The designation's varieties are three Sicilian cultivars: **Biancolilla**, **Nocellara del Belice** and **Cerasuola**. The consortium was founded in 2002 and every bottle carries a code showing who grew, pressed and bottled the oil.

### Sicilia PGI oil

The other designation is Sicilia PGI extra virgin olive oil, which applies to the whole region. The [consortium](https://www.olioigpsicilia.it/) lists the main rules:

| Rule | Sicilia PGI |
|---|---|
| Area | the whole territory of the Sicilian Region |
| Harvest | from 1 September to 30 January of the following year |
| Maximum yield | 100 quintals of olives per hectare |
| Acidity | maximum 0.5% |
| Total polyphenols | at least 100 mg/kg |

Many cultivars are allowed, including Biancolilla, Cerasuola, Crastu, Giarraffa, Nocellara del Belice, Ogliarola messinese and Santagatese.

### How to recognise a PDO or PGI oil

In a shop or at the mill, look at the label, not just the place of origin. Three checks:

1. **The full designation**: "Val di Mazara" with the PDO (DOP) mark, or "Sicilia" with the PGI (IGP) mark. "Olio delle Madonie" on its own is not a protected designation.
2. **The code or the seal**: for Val di Mazara PDO every bottle has an identification code that, the consortium explains, traces who grew, pressed and bottled the oil; for Sicilia PGI the consortium fits a collar on the neck of the bottle.
3. **The harvest year**: PGI olives are harvested between September and January, so an oil from the latest season is the freshest.

An extra virgin oil without a designation can be excellent, but then it all comes down to trusting the producer. If you buy at a mill, ask which groves the olives come from and when they were pressed.

### The Nebba olive of Scillato

Scillato, in the Imera valley at the foot of the Park, has an olive recognised as a traditional food product. The regional technical sheet describes the Nebba as a "dual-purpose" olive, good for the table and for oil, golden yellow with green tinges, with a fruity flavour and a sweet aftertaste.

It is picked by hand between November and December, into rigid, ventilated containers. It is pressed in authorised mills and the oil is stored in steel or glass. Scillato is also the home of an apricot and of the Biondo orange, both traditional products: see the page on [Scillato](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/scillato/).

### The Sagra dell'Ulivo in Finale di Pollina

In early November Finale, the seaside hamlet of Pollina, celebrates its oil with the [Sagra dell'Ulivo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/sagra-dell-ulivo-olive-festival-finale-di-pollina/). It is one of the longest-running festivals in the area: in 2026 it reached its 50th edition.

On Sunday *cunzate* olives, seasoned the traditional way, are handed out, and babies born in the village receive an olive sapling. It is organised by the municipality of Pollina.

## Madonie wine

### The Contea di Sclafani DOC

The wine designation of the Madonie is called "Contea di Sclafani" or "Valledolmo-Contea di Sclafani". It became a DOC in 1996 and took its current name with a European regulation in 2019.

According to article 3 of the product rules, the production area includes:

| Province | Whole municipalities | Part of municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| Palermo | Valledolmo, Caltavuturo, Alia, Sclafani Bagni | Petralia Sottana, Castellana Sicula, Castronovo di Sicilia, Cerda, Aliminusa, Montemaggiore Belsito, Polizzi Generosa |
| Caltanissetta | Vallelunga Pratameno, Villalba | |
| Agrigento | | Cammarata |

The rules provide for a white and a red, also as riserva and late harvest. In the text as amended in 2019, the white is made from at least 95% Catarratto, the red from Nero d'Avola and Perricone in any proportion. Before buying a bottle, check the designation and the area on the label.

To see the DOC towns, start from the pages on [Sclafani Bagni](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/sclafani-bagni/) and [Caltavuturo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/caltavuturo/), on the western side of the Park, above the Imera valley.

### A winery to visit: Abbazia Santa Anastasia

In the countryside of Castelbuono, in a restored former Benedictine site, Abbazia Santa Anastasia is a country hotel with a winery. According to the [company website](https://www.abbaziasantanastasia.com/), the land is farmed organically, also following lunar cycles, and holds Demeter biodynamic certification.

The winery offers tastings of its own wines and cellar visits, and there is a restaurant using produce from the kitchen garden. The property is also in our list of [places to stay in the Madonie](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/where-to-stay/abbazzia-santa-anastasia-castelbuono/).

### Mountain wine

In Petralia Soprana, at 1,147 metres, the Pro Loco brought back barefoot grape treading to the square in 2026, *a pistata da racina*. The day began with a talk on the future of mountain viticulture, with the oenologist Tonino Guzzo, and a wine tasting (MadoniePress, 16 September 2026).

## Wine and olive oil festivals

These are the usual periods of the festivals; each year's dates and programmes are on the event pages.

| Period | Festival | Town | What you find |
|---|---|---|---|
| end of June | [DiVino Festival](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/divino-festival-castelbuono/) | Castelbuono | guided tastings, masterclasses, producers' stalls, concerts |
| mid-July | [Vucciria Beer Festival](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/vucciria-beer-festival-geraci-siculo/) | Geraci Siculo | craft beers and local products along the main street |
| end of August | [Sclafani Bagni Wine & Food Festival](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/sclafani-bagni-wine-food-festival/) | Sclafani Bagni | cooking shows with Michelin-starred chefs, masterclasses in the castle by booking |
| end of September | [A Pistata](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/a-pistata-petralia-soprana/) | Petralia Soprana | barefoot grape treading in Piazza Duomo, food stalls in the evening |
| early November | [Sagra dell'Ulivo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/sagra-dell-ulivo-olive-festival-finale-di-pollina/) | Finale di Pollina | cunzate olives, stalls, folk parade |

The DiVino Festival turned twenty in 2026. The Sclafani Bagni festival is younger: its first edition was in 2024. All the other food festivals are in the [Madonie food festival calendar](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/food/food-festivals-calendar/).

## What to pair with oil and wine

With fresh provola delle Madonie, Slow Food recommends light, dry wines such as an Inzolia, and with aged provola, Nero d'Avola: you will find everything in the guide to [Madonie cheeses](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/food/madonie-cheeses/). November's new oil is best tried on naturally leavened durum wheat bread, like the one from Castellana Sicula, a recognised traditional product.

To find places for a glass of local wine, use the list of [places to eat in the Madonie](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/where-to-eat/), with filters by town and type. The guide [what to eat in the Madonie](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/food/what-to-eat/) explains which towns to choose and what to order.

## Related pages

- [Sclafani Bagni](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/sclafani-bagni/)
- [Caltavuturo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/caltavuturo/)
- [Castelbuono](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/castelbuono/)
- [Pollina](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/pollina/)
- [Scillato](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/scillato/)
- [Petralia Soprana](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/petralia-soprana/)
- [Polizzi Generosa](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/polizzi-generosa/)

## Frequently asked questions

### What olive oil is made in the Madonie?

All the municipalities of the Madonie lie in the province of Palermo, so they fall within the area of Val di Mazara PDO extra virgin olive oil, made mainly from Biancolilla, Nocellara del Belice and Cerasuola. Sicilia PGI oil, which covers the whole island, can also be produced. Scillato has the Nebba olive, a traditional product recognised by the Region.

### Which DOC wine is made in the Madonie?

The Contea di Sclafani DOC, also called Valledolmo-Contea di Sclafani. It covers the whole of the municipalities of Sclafani Bagni, Caltavuturo, Valledolmo and Alia and parts of Petralia Sottana, Castellana Sicula, Polizzi Generosa and other towns in the provinces of Palermo, Caltanissetta and Agrigento. It provides for a white and a red, also as riserva and late harvest.

### Can you visit a winery in the Madonie?

Abbazia Santa Anastasia, in the countryside of Castelbuono, is a country hotel with a winery that offers tastings and cellar visits. It farms organically and holds Demeter biodynamic certification. For other wineries, the right time is the DiVino Festival in Castelbuono at the end of June, with producers' stalls.

### When are olives harvested in the Madonie?

The Sicilia PGI rules allow harvesting from 1 September to 30 January. For the Nebba olive of Scillato, the regional sheet indicates hand-picking between November and December. In early November Finale di Pollina celebrates with the Sagra dell'Ulivo.

### Are there wine festivals in the Madonie?

Three in particular: the DiVino Festival in Castelbuono at the end of June, with guided tastings and masterclasses; the Sclafani Bagni Wine & Food Festival at the end of August, with cooking shows and masterclasses in the castle; and A Pistata in Petralia Soprana at the end of September, with barefoot grape treading in Piazza Duomo.

### What is the Nebba olive?

It is a dual-purpose olive from Scillato, good both for the table and for oil. The Sicilian Region's sheet describes it as golden yellow with green tinges, with a fruity aroma and a sweet aftertaste. It is picked by hand between November and December and pressed in authorised mills.

## Sources

- [Consorzio di tutela dell'olio extravergine di oliva DOP Val di Mazara](https://www.dopvaldimazara.it/)
- [Consorzio olio extravergine di oliva Sicilia IGP, regole di produzione](https://www.olioigpsicilia.it/)
- [Scheda tecnica PAT Oliva Nebba (Regione Siciliana), riportata da Sicilia in Rete](https://www.lasiciliainrete.it/directory-tangibili/listing/oliva-nebba/)
- [Disciplinare DOC Contea di Sclafani o Valledolmo-Contea di Sclafani (testo consolidato con il Reg. UE 2019/1321)](https://www.disciplinare.it/piddieffe/Contea%20di%20Sclafani%20Doc.pdf)
- [Abbazia Santa Anastasia, relais e cantina a Castelbuono](https://www.abbaziasantanastasia.com/)
- [DiVino Festival Castelbuono, sito ufficiale](https://www.divinofestival.it/)
- [Comune di Pollina, 49ª Sagra dell'Ulivo](https://comune.pollina.pa.it/evento/49-sagra-dellulivo/)
- [MadoniePress, A Pistata a Petralia Soprana (16 settembre 2026)](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/09/16/a-pistata-sapori-e-sapori-in-vetta-petralia-soprana-torna-a-celebrare-la-sua-storia/)

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Markdown version of the page https://www.lemadonie.it/en/food/olive-oil-and-wine/, from Le Madonie (lemadonie.it), an independent guide to the Madonie. Facts with source and date of check.