Talking About Marsala Wine- Arrow Liquormart
                     Talking About Marsala Wine
What is Marsala Wine?
To understand something, you must understand its’ origin. The origin of Marsala wine is the largest island in the 
Mediterranean Sea, Sicily. More specifically, the wine is produced with local white grapes that are grown near 
the town of Marsala, along the Western Cape of Sicily.
Several different types of grapes are harvested to make the wine, including:
● Inzolia
● Grillo
● Damaschino
● Catarratto
Much like how authentic champagne can only be grown in the Champagne region of France, the only true 
bottles of Marsala wine come from the hills surrounding Marsala. The Denominazione di Origine Controllata 
(DOC) of the Italian Government regulates that the usage of the word “Marsala” for wine and other products to 
be used exclusively for products of the Marsala region of Sicily.
The thing that sets Marsala wine apart from other wines is the fact that it is 
fortified, meaning it is supplemented with a distilled spirit. For Marsala wine, 
that spirit is typically brandy. Its dry and semi-dry texture makes Marsala 
amazing cooking wine, offering a rich caramelized and nutty flavor to the 
sauces.
The Flavor Profile
By and large, Marsala is dominated by these flavors:
● Brown sugar
● Vanilla
● Tamarind
● Stewed Apricot
Some higher-end versions of Marsala wine, just like with any other type of wine or drink in 
general, will give you a wider range of nuanced flavors, such as:
● Apple
● Morello Cherry
● Walnut
● Dried Fruits
● Licorice
The Alcohol Content
Seeing as Marsala wine is fortified, it will have an alcohol content much higher than that of other wines. 
Typically, wines contain around 12% ABV, but Marsala is usually somewhere between 15% and 20% ABV. The 
higher alcohol content and the unique, delicious flavors are what make Marsala wine stand apart from typical 
wines.
The Making of Marsala Wine
The initial process of making Marsala wine is not dissimilar from the process of making other 
wines. To initiate the fermentation process, grapes are crushed and stored. The process will 
be disrupted for fortifying depending on what kind of Marsala the maker wants, dry or 
sweet.
For sweeter-tasting wine, the fortification is done before the fermentation process is 
completed. This allows for more residual sugars to accumulate in the wine.
On the other hand, if the fortifying spirit is added after the fermentation process has been 
completed, the wine will have a drier texture and less sugar content.
The Making of Marsala Wine
Unlike most wines which much be finished fairly quickly after the bottle has been opened, 
Marsala wine will stay fresh and the day it was opened for four to six months. The longer 
shelf life is a result of the fortifying process. Furthermore, if you store the wine for more 
than six months after opening it, while you might experience a slight loss of fragrance and 
flavor, it will not go bad. You can still enjoy it!
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