Marsala Wine Guide: 3 Ways to Enjoy Marsala Wine

Marsala is a brandy-fortified wine made in and around the Italian town of Marsala, in Sicily. Like Portuguese port or Madeira wine, Marsala is produced to varying levels of quality and in styles ranging from dry to sweet (secco, semisecco, and dolce). Depending on the grapes used, the color of the fortified wine may shift from a pale gold (oro), russet amber (ambra), or deep, ruby red (rubino).

Depending on the style of Marsala, brandy is added during the fermentation process or immediately following it. Fortifying the grape juices mid-fermentation results in a sweeter wine, while adding it afterward contributes less residual sugar and results in a drier style of wine.

Marsala’s popularity outside of its home country is often attributed to Sicilian-born British wine merchant John Woodhouse, who laid the groundwork for mass production and distribution in the late 1700s. An entrepreneur named Vincenzo Florio eventually purchased Woodhouse’s firm and consolidated the Marsala industry by the late 1800s.

The sensory spectrum of Marsala includes dried fruits like raisin and apricot, tangy tamarind pulp, brown sugar, earthy tobacco leaf, and spices like vanilla and anise.

Marsalas have an alcohol content of around 15–20 percent. Residual sugar content varies depending on style, ranging from 40 grams per liter to upwards of 100 grams per liter. Marsalas are categorized first by color:

1. 1. Gold (oro). Gold Marsalas are primarily made from white wine grapes such as Grillo and Inzolia and may also include Catarratto and Damaschino.
2. 2. Amber (ambra). Amber Marsalas are made from the same group of white wine grapes as gold but include sweet, cooked grape must (mosto cotto) for flavor, which lends a darker hue to the finished product.
3. 3. Ruby (rubino). Ruby Marsalas are made from a handful of red wine grapes, including Nerello Mascalese, Nero D’Avola, and Pignatello, but may also include up to 30 percent white wine grapes.

After color, Marsala is understood in five main categories of age:

1. 1. Fine. “Fine” Marsala is aged for a minimum of one year and is most commonly used as a cooking wine.
2. 2. Superior (Superiore). “Superior” Marsalas have been aged for two years and are also considered ideal cooking wines.
3. 3. Superior Reserve (Superiore Riserva). “Superior Reserve” Marsalas have been aged a minimum of four years.
4. 4. Virgin/Solera (Vergine/Soleras). “Virgin,” or “Solera,” Marsalas have been aged for a minimum of five years, occasionally using the Solera system favored by producers of Spanish sherry. Solera is a fractional method of blending, in which multiple years are combined during the aging process, compounding flavors.
5. 5. Virgin Reserve/Virgin Stravecchio. These high-end Marsalas have been aged for at least 10 years and feature the most nuanced flavor expressions.

1. 1. Pair it with cheese or desserts. As an apéritif, lightly chilled Marsala pairs particularly well-aged cheeses like parmesan and Roquefort. High-quality Marsalas are also enjoyed as a dessert wine, served at room temperature to fully express their distinct flavors.
2. 2. Use it to add dimension to dishes. Dry Marsala is also used as a cooking wine in sweet and savory dishes, like chicken marsala or veal marsala, where it is used to give dimension to a rich, creamy sauce.
3. 3. Use it in desserts. Incorporate sweet Marsala into light custards like Italian zabaglione (sabayon)—which, when mixed with mascarpone cream cheese, is a primary component of traditional tiramisu.

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