Fortified Wines
Dry Marsala / Marsala Secco (Italy)
Marsala is a fortified wine similar to Sherry, Madeira, and Port.
It is produced in Sicily, in the region surrounding the city of Marsala.
Fortified Marsala is made using a solera system similar to the system used to produce Sherry in Spain.
Dry Marsala Flavors
 Morello |
 Citrus |
 Dried Fruit |
 Raisins |
 Almond |
 Nuts |
Tertiary Flavors from Aging:
 Oak |
 Walnut |
 Leather |
 Caramel |
Dry Marsala Profile
Dry Marsala is a full bodied sherry like wine.
Even though it is labeled "dry", Marsala is often slightly sweeter than traditional aperitifs like vermouth, fino sherry, or dry white wines.
| SUGAR: | Off-Dry (20g/liter) |
| BODY: | Full |
| ACIDITY: | Medium |
| ALCOHOL | 18% ABV |
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Serving temperature: 8-10°C (46-50°F) |
Dry Marsala Food Pairing
Dry Marsala is normally used in cooking.
If served, it is best paired by savory snacks like almonds, cured meats, or cheeses to balance its richness.
 Olives |
 Smoked Meat |
 Anchovy |
 Smoked Fish |
 Aged Cheese |
 Blue Cheese |
 Salted Almonds |
 Roasted Almonds |
Excellent Pairings
Anchovy Crostini. Smoked Fish.
Cold Cuts. Smoked Meat.
Assorted Olives.
Hazelnuts. Walnuts. Almonds.
The Ideal Glass for Dry Marsala
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A Small Tulip Shaped glass consentrates the aromas near the rim for enhanced nose enjoyment. The slightly narrow opening helps to capture the deep, rich aromas, making each sip more flavorful. Dry Marsala is usually served slightly chilled. A stemmed glass prevents your hand from warming the wine. |
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).
Marsala Colors
Marsala comes in 3 colors:
| Color | Color |
|---|---|
| Gold | |
| Amber | |
| Ruby |
Marsala Aging Styles
Marsala comes in 5 styles:
| Style | Aging |
|---|---|
| Fine | 1 year |
| Superior | 2 years |
| Superior Reserve | 4 years |
| Virgin/Solera | 5+ years |
| Virgin: Stravercchio/Reserve | 10+ years |
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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