Marsala Wine

Marsala

Marsala is a wine produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily. Marsala wine first received Denominazione di origine controllata, or DOC, status in 1969.

History

The most creditable version of the introduction of Marsala fortified wine to a wider audience is attributed to the English trader John Woodhouse. The name came from the Greek warlord Marsala who believed his men fought with more flair by drinking a little before battle.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.

Grape Varieties

Catarratto, Grillo and Inzolia

The grapes are partly oxidized before being harvested. The sweet wine is made from the semi-dried grapes and mixed with the local brandy. The combination is called sifone. Vino cotto (Cooked, unfermented caramelized grape juice is added ). Marsala are matured in oak cask for only four months, but the better varieties are kept there for two to five years, often blended and matured by the solera system. There is no vintage Marsala.

Style

Marsala Vergine: Dry and gets its name because it is a pure wine without the addition of vino cotto or sifone.

Quality Marsala is a delicious, deep golden brown dessert wine.

Malaga

Malaga is a sweet fortified wine originating in the Spanish city of Málaga made from Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel grapes. The center of Malaga production is Sierra de Almijara, along with Antequera, Archidona, San Pedro Alcantara, Velez Malaga and Competa.

Malaga wine country used to be known for its altar wines, and was not taken seriously in the modern wine world until the famed flying winemaker Telmo Rodriguez landed on the scene. His wine, Molino Real (the royal mill) is considered to be one of the greatest sweet wines in Spain at the moment, and is highly rated by the world’s wine critics as a wine of the century.

The winemaking history in Malaga and the nearby mountains is one of the oldest in Europe. However, like many of the world’s great dessert wines, demand fell dramatically in the 20th century and it was feared that this wine would soon become extinct. There is now a recent surge in interest in these sweet wines, and Malaga wines are finding their place on the world stage. The main wine villages of this beautiful appellation include Frigiliana and Velez. There are many red and white varietals grown, but the only ones used for dessert wines are the Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel.

Classic Malaga is made by allowing the grapes to self press and to release their juices by the pressure of their own weight. This free run juice known as the lagrimas ( tears ), in the most prized and after processing is sold as Malaga Lagrima, a wine of great finesse. The juice is fermented in large oak or resin-lined cement vats and then matured and blended through the Solera system. Malaga is sweet (dolce), dry (seco) ad medium sweet(semi-dolce).