A sample of Marsala wine.

Marsala is a wine produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily. Marsala wine first received Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status in 1969.^[1]

While the city's natives sometimes drink "vintage" Marsala, the wine produced for export is universally a fortified wine similar to Port, Madeira and Sherry. Originally, Marsala wine was fortified with alcohol to ensure that it would last long ocean voyages, but now it is made that way because of its popularity in foreign markets.

History[link]

The most creditable version of the introduction of Marsala fortified wine to a wider range of consumers is attributed to the English trader John Woodhouse. In 1773, Woodhouse landed at the port of Marsala and discovered the local wine produced in the region, which was aged in wooden casks and tasted similar to Spanish and Portuguese fortified wines then popular in England.^[2] Fortified Marsala wine was, and is, made using a process called in perpetuum, which is similar to the solera system used to produce Sherry in Jerez, Spain.^[3]

Woodhouse recognized that the in perpetuum process raised the alcohol level and alcoholic taste of this wine while also preserving these characteristics during long distance sea travel. Woodhouse further believed that fortified Marsala wine would be popular in England. Marsala wine indeed proved so successful that Woodhouse returned to Sicily and, in 1796, began the mass production and commercialization of Marsala wine.^[4]

"In 1833, the entrepreneur Vincenzo Florio, a Calabrese by birth and Palermitano by adoption, bought up great swathes of land between the two largest established Marsala producers and set to making his own vintage with even more exclusive range of grape".^[5]

Florio purchased Woodhouse's firm, among others, in the late 19th century and consolidated the Marsala wine industry. Florio and Pellegrino remain the leading producers of Marsala wine today.^[6]

Characteristics and types[link]

Marsala is produced using the Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto white grape varietals, among others.^[7]

Marsala contains about 15-20% alcohol by volume. Different Marsala wines are classified according to their color, sweetness and the duration of their aging. The three levels of sweetness are secco (with a maximum 40 grams of residual sugar per liter), semisecco' (41-100 g/l) and sweet (over 100 g/l). The color and aging classifications are as follows:^[8]

• Oro has a golden color.
• Ambra has an amber color. The coloring comes from the mosto cotto sweetener added to the wine.
• Rubino has a ruby color.
• Fine has minimal aging, typically less than a year.
• Superiore is aged at least two years.
• Superiore Riserva is aged at least four years.
• Vergine e/o Soleras is aged at least five years.
• Vergine e/o Soleras Stravecchio e Vergine e/o Soleras Riserva is aged at least ten years.^[7]

Marsala wine was traditionally served as an aperitif between the first and second courses of a meal. Contemporary diners will serve it chilled with Parmesan (stravecchio), Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and other spicy cheeses, with fruits or pastries, or at room temperature as a dessert wine.^[1] Marsala is sometimes discussed with another Sicilian wine, Passito di Pantelleria (Pantelleria Island's raisin wine).^[9]

In cooking[link]

Marsala wine is frequently used in cooking, and is especially prevalent in Italian restaurants in the United States. A typical Marsala sauce, for example, involves reducing the wine almost to a syrup with onions or shallots, then adding mushrooms and herbs. One of the most popular Marsala recipes is chicken marsala, in which flour-coated pounded chicken breast halves are braised in a mixture of Marsala, butter, olive oil, mushrooms, and spices.^[10] Marsala is also used in some risotto recipes, and is used to produce rich Italian desserts such as zabaglione, tiramisu and shortcake.^[11]

References[link]

Marsala
—  Comune  —
Città di Marsala
Marsala salt ponds
Marsala Location of Marsala in Italy
Coordinates: 37°48′N 12°26′E / 37.8°N 12.433°E / 37.8; 12.433
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province	Trapani (TP)
Government
• Mayor	Giulia Adamo (UdC)
Area
• Total	241.6 km2 (93.3 sq mi)
Elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population (30 November 2010)
• Total	82,765
• Density	340/km2 (890/sq mi)
Demonym	Marsalesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	91025
Dialing code	0923
Patron saint	Our Lady of the Cave (Madonna della Cava)
Saint day	January 19
Website	Official website

Church of the Purgatory.

Marsala is a seaport city located in the Province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy. The low coast on which it is situated is the westernmost point of the island. It is best known as the source of Marsala wine.

History[link]

Marsala occupies the site of Lilybaeum, the principal stronghold of the Carthaginians in Sicily, founded by Himilco in 396 BC after the abandonment of Motya. Neither Pyrrhus nor the Romans were able to reduce it by siege, but it was surrendered to the latter in 241 BC at the end of the First Punic War as a condition of the peace treaty. In the later wars it was a starting point for the Roman expeditions against Carthage, and under Roman rule it enjoyed considerable prosperity. It obtained municipal rights from Augustus and became a colony under either Pertinax or Septimius Severus.

The Arabs gave it its present name "Marsala," which perhaps is derived from the Arab "Marsa Allah" (port of Allah) or, more probably, from "Marsa ‘Alī" ("port of Ali", or "Marsa ‘āliyy", "great port"). The huge ancient harbor that lay on the northeast was destroyed by Charles V in the 16th century, to prevent its occupation by pirates. The modern harbor lies to the southeast.

On May 11, 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Expedition of the Thousand landed at Marsala and began his campaign to overthrow Bourbon rule in Sicily, during the Unification of Italy process.

Geography[link]

The town is situated on the Mediterranean coast, in the south-western side of Sicily. It lies on the road between Trapani and Mazara del Vallo.

Main sights[link]

Little remains of the ancient Lilybaeum. Fragments of the city walls, squared stones, and some foundations of buildings between the walls and the sea are visible. The so-called grotto and spring of the Sibyl is located under the church of San Giovanni Battista (1555), and is traditionally considered the tomb of the Cuman or Siculian Sibyl.

To the east of the town is a great fosse which defended it on the land side, and beyond this again are quarries like those of Syracuse on a small scale.

The modern town takes the shape of the Roman camp within the earlier city, one of the gates of which still existed in 1887. Sights include the campanile and convent of the Annunziata, and the Baroque Church of the Purgatory.

The main street (the Cassaro) perpetuates the name castrum. The Biagio Anselmi Archaeological Museum houses an example of Carthaginian ship used during the Battle of the Aegates Islands (241 BC), as well as other ancient remains from the area.

Natural sights include the stagnone ("Big Marsh") lagoon preserved area.

See also[link]

• Florio
• Marsala Ship
• Phoenicians and wine

External links[link]

Media related to Marsala at Wikimedia Commons