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The younger sister of the Pyrenean fortified wines: marsala, was born in the western Sicilian port town of the same name in 1773.
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History of the drink
The creator of the drink is considered to be an English wine merchant from Liverpool, John Wodehouse, who decided during a forced delay in Sicily to experiment with a local wine called perpetuum.
By 1796, the drink was finally calibrated, and its production was put on a commercial basis.
Among the fans of Marsala there were such different people as the defender of the feudal fragmentation of Italy: Admiral Horatio Nelson and the fighter for the unification of this very Italy: Giuseppe Garibaldi.
What Makes Marsala a Unique Wine
Marsala is a very strong grape wine, fortified with unaged cognac-type grape brandy.
The strength of the wine is 17-18 degrees, sweetness – 1,5-7%.
The drink is controlled by geographical origin and can only be produced in the territory of most of the province of Trapani, located in northwestern Sicily.
From the Spanish and Portuguese relatives, including from its closest relative – Madera, the Sicilian drink differs due to several very significant points.
An important role is played by the individual combination of geological and geographical factors.
Thanks to them, unique conditions were formed for growing grapes, found only in Sicily.
For the manufacture of Marsala, only local varieties of grapes are used – white: Grillo, Catarrato, Damascus and red: Pignatello, Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese.
At the same time, local white varieties are used not only for the production of wort, but also for the production of a distillate that fixes it.
Finally, in the production of this wine, in most cases, a local natural sweetener is used – mosto cotto.
It is prepared by prolonged evaporation of grape juice obtained from fruits that are especially sweet and therefore not suitable for vinification.
In this case, said sweetener may be mixed with a small amount of grape brandy before being added to the must.
The presence of mosto cotto not only adds additional flavor and aroma nuances to Marsala, but also makes it sweeter than other drinks of this type.
Types of marsala
There are three criteria for differences in the wine we are interested in: the color of the drink, the degree of its sweetness and the aging time.
The following three varieties can be distinguished by color:
Oro is a golden drink made from white grapes;
Ambergris is a white wine with an amber color caused by the addition of a caramel sweetener;
Rubino is a dark red variant that is a blend of white and red grapes.
According to the sugar content, wine is also divided into three types:
Setto (dry) – up to 40 grams of sugar per liter;
Semisetto (semi-dry) – from 41 to 100 grams;
Dolce (sweet) – more than 100 grams.
Based on the aging period carried out in oak barrels, there are 5 categories of marsala:
Fino – aged for a year, unlike others, contains 17 degrees of alcohol.
Top – biennial drink.
Superior Reserve – stay in a barrel from four years.
Virgin – the holding period is at least five years.
Virgin Reserve – an aristocrat of ten years or longer exposure.
How to drink marsala
In the case of marsala, port wine glasses are best. Other nuances depend on the aging time and the sweetness of the drink.
So, wines like Virgin and Virgin Riserva are used as a digestif; the rest – for aperitifs and feasts.
Dry options are intended to be consumed before meals or during the main meal (in the old days they were liked to be served between the first and second courses). Semi-dry and sweet varieties serve as an addition to the dessert.
In addition, it is customary to cool dry marsala to 10 ° C. Dessert varieties of the drink should maintain room temperature.
This wine is rarely used in cocktails. The aforementioned exceptions include the Marsala Martini cocktail.
What do you drink marsala with?
Seafood (including oysters), boiled fish, as well as spicy cheeses such as parmesan and gorgonzola are considered an ideal snack for white dry marsala. The red dry variety goes well with meat salads and broths.
Semi-dry wines of this type harmonize very well with fruit. For the sweet variation, it is highly recommended to serve walnut biscuits or delicate Italian desserts sprinkled with grated walnuts.
Relevance: 27.07.2017
Tags: wine and vermouth