Marsala Wine - Characteristics and Types

Characteristics and Types

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

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:

• 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, made from red grape varieties such as Perricone, Calabrese, Nero d'Avola and Nerello Mascalese.
• 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.

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. Marsala is sometimes discussed with another Sicilian wine, Passito di Pantelleria (Pantelleria Island's raisin wine).