Marsala (Italy)

Marsala Wine

Marsala is a fortified wine similar to Sherry, Madeira, and Port.

It is produced in the region surrounding the city of Marsala in Sicily.

Serving Temperature

8-10°C (46-50°F) Aperitif
14-16°C (57-60°F) Meditation

Typical Flavors


Cherry
Morello Cherry
Apple
Coocked Apple
Orange Zest
Citrus
Jam
Jam

Apricot
Stewed Apricot
Plum
Coocked Plum
Honey
Burnt Honey
Dried Fruit
Dried Fruit

Raisins
Raisins
Prunes
Prunes
Almond
Almond
Nuts
Nuts

Oak Added Flavors


Vanilla
Vanilla
Licorice
Licorice
Tobacco
Tobacco
Mineral
Mineral

Typical flavors of Marsala wines are: Jam. Dried Fruit. Apricot. Plum. Burnt Honey. Brown Sugar. Tamarind. Walnut. Licorice.

Marsala Colors

Marsala comes in 3 colors:

ColorColor
Gold
Amber
Ruby

Marsala Aging Styles

Marsala comes in 5 styles:

StyleAgingColor
Fine1 year
Superior2 years
Superior Reserve4+ years
Virgin/Solera5+ years
Virgin: Stravercchio/Reserve10+ years

Food Pairing Dry Marsala


Aperitif
Meditation
Aperitif
Olives
Olives
Ham
Smocked
Meat
Cheese
Fresh
Cheese

Cold Cuts. Smoked Meat. Smocked Fish. Assorted Olives.
Hazelnuts. Walnuts. Almonds.
Cous Cous. Soft Cheese. Goat Cheese.

Food Pairing Sweet Marsala

Cantucci
Cantucci
Cakes
Cakes
Chocolate
Dark
Chocolate
Cheese
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).