Marsala Dolce (Italy)
Marsala is a fortified wine similar to Sherry, Madeira, and Port.
It is produced in the region surrounding the city of Marsala in Sicily.
Marsala Flavors
 Morello Cherry |
 Coocked Apple |
 Citrus |
 Jam |
 Stewed Apricot |
 Coocked Plum |
 Burnt Honey |
 Dried Fruit |
 Raisins |
 Prunes |
 Almond |
 Nuts |
Tertiary Flavors from Aging
 Vanilla |
 Licorice |
 Tobacco |
 Mineral |
Typical flavors of Marsala wines are: Jam. Dried Fruit. Apricot. Plum. Burnt Honey. Brown Sugar. Tamarind. Walnut. Licorice.
Marsala Profile
Marsala is a full bodied sweet sherry like wine.
| SUGAR: | 100g/l | ||
| BODY: | Medium Pluss | ||
| ACIDITY: | Medium | ||
| ALCOHOL | 18% | ||
| |||
Marsala Colors
Marsala comes in 3 colors:
| Color | Color |
|---|---|
| Gold | |
| Amber | |
| Ruby |
Marsala Aging Styles
Marsala comes in 5 styles:
| Style | Aging | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 1 year | |
| Superior | 2 years | |
| Superior Reserve | 4+ years | |
| Virgin/Solera | 5+ years | |
| Virgin: Stravercchio/Reserve | 10+ years |
Food Pairing Sweet Marsala
 Cantucci |
 Cakes |
 Dark Chocolate |
 Strong Cheese |
Sweet Marsala pairs best with cakes and desserts:
Biscotti. Cantucci.
Italian Torte (Cakes). Panforte.
Nut Cakes. Walnut Tart. Peacan Pie.
Chockolate Cake. Dark Chocolate.
Blue Cheese. Gorgonzola. Roquefort.
Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pecorino. Grana Padano.
About Marsala
Marsala contains 15-20% alcohol, and it comes with 3 different sugar levels like Dry (Secco), Semi Sweet (Semi Secco) and Sweet (Dolce).
The wine can be produced using many different grape varieties:
White Grapes: Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia and Damaschino.
Red Grapes: Nerello Mascalese, Pignatello and Nero d'Avola.
Cooking with Marsala wine: dry Marsala for turkey, veal, beef and mushroom, sweet Marsala for chicken, pork and desserts (Zabaglione).
Wine Region Sicilia (Sicily)
Etna with the city of Catania in the foreground
Black Grapes |
White Grapes |
35% Cataratto |
13% Chardonnay |
Red Wines |
White Wines |
Cerasuolo |
Carricante |
Rosè Wines |
Dessert Wines |
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Soil
Volcanic mountains, volcanic hills and dark volcanic soil is covering most of Sicily, but is most significant around the Volcano Mount Etna.
Climate
Sicily is excellent for high-quality winemaking. With Mediterranean influences as well as lots of sunshine, the overall climate is warm and dry.
But, the island has mountains, and the benefit of altitude helps to moderate heat, preserve acidity, and even out ripening.
Winds from the oceans protect grapes from frost and mildew, and the harvest is one of the longest in Italy (90 days).
Sicilia has 1 DOCG and 23 DOC regions:
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
Alcamo DOC
Contea di Sclafani
Contessa Entellina DOC
Delia Nivolelli DOC
Eloro DOC
Erice DOC
Etna DOC
Faro DOC
Malvasia delle Lipari DOC
Mamertino di Milazzo
Marsala DOC
Menfi DOC
Monreale DOC
Noto DOC
Pantelleria DOC
Riesi DOC
Salaparuta DOC
Sambuca di Sicilia DOC
Santa Margherita di Belice DOC
Sciacca DOC
Sicilia DOC
Siracusa DOC
Vittoria DOC
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