The Marsala is a fortified wine made of local grapes varieties and aged in oak-barrel. It comes from the western lands of Sicily and its name derives from the homonymous town of Marsala, near Trapani. This seaside coast, surrounded by hills, dominated by the Mediterranean; sun and it’s reach of historical and archaeological sites, with culinary traditions that it is possible to learn along the ‘Strada del Vino di Marsala’, with its routes which combine the Mediterranean Sea and Sicilian countryside. The sea, characterized by wonderful colours, is dotted with salt pans that produce what is considered the best salt in the world.
The English connection
The Marsala wine owes its birth to a storm which in 1773 forced John Woodhouse, a merchant from Liverpool, to land with his ship in the port of Marsala due to a storm.
When he landed in this Sicilian town, in order to celebrate his lucky escape, Woodhouse went into a tavern in the port, where he tasted the ‘Perpetum’, a strong local wine similar to Madeira or Porto, which were so appreciated by English people. So he decided to buy a large supply of that wine, which he wanted to sell in England. However, at that time the wine transport by sea involved serious problems regarding conservation. Woodhouse added an amount of alcohol to those barrels of wine, so increasing the alcohol content of that wine and ensuring its preservation up to its destination. The first expedition was an incredible success. All the barrels were sold in a few days and this convinced Woodhouse to return permanently to Sicily in order to develop a new and stable business.
Cantine Fodera – Marsala, Sicily
At the end of the 18th century, the Marsala wine was habitually drunk on all Her Majesty’s ships. Admiral Nelson, too, used to celebrate his victories with Woodhouse’s Marsala wine and, just after the naval battle of Trafalgar, the Marsala began to be proposed as a ‘wine of victory’.
On May 11, 1860, the town was the site of the landing of Giuseppe Garibaldi and 1,000 of his “Redshirts” in their campaign to conquer the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Alexandra Curatolo – Curatolo Arini – Marsala, Sicily
As noted, Marsala comes in a variety of sweetness levels and is classified by its color and age. Here’s a breakdown of what this all means.
- Secco: This is the driest version of Marsala, with less than 40 grams of sugar per liter.
- Semi-Secco: A semi-sweet style, this wine ranges from 50 grams to 100 grams of residual sugar per liter.
- Dolce: This is a sweet wine with more than 100 grams of sugar per liter.
When it comes to Marsala wine, color is key. Here’s a rundown of the various hues of this Italian favorite along with some tasting notes.
- Amber (Ambra): As its name suggests, this amber-colored Marsala is made with white grapes and tastes of nuts and dried fruit.
- Ruby (Rubino): The lovely ruby hue of this Marsala comes from red grapes such as Pignatello, Perricone, and Nerello Mascalese. It has a fruity flavor and fragrance that contrasts nicely with the higher tannin content from the red grapes.
- Gold (Oro): With its rich golden color, this Marsala is produced with white grapes. Expect flavors of vanilla, hazelnuts, and licorice.
The final classification for Marsala wine is age. While younger wines are almost always used for cooking, older bottles are ideal for sipping before or after a meal.
- Fine: Aged for at least one year
- Superiore: Aged for at least two years but no more than three years
- Superiore Riserva: Aged for 4-6 years
- Soleras or Vergine: Aged for 5-7 years
- Stravecchio: Aged for at least 10 years with no added sugar
Salute!
ITALSPIRITS Team
ALL CONTENT, PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOS ON ITALSPIRITS.COM ARE COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
