How to Buy Marsala Dessert Wine

Sharing its name with the coastal city that invented it, Marsala dessert wine continues to be one of Sicily's finest reds. Historically a popular cooking wine, Marsala also makes an excellent aperitif or dessert wine. Marsala's substantial texture and alcohol content are balanced by a caramel fragrance and a smooth sweet or dry flavor. Translating the label helps you find the right Marsala.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Locate a local wine store or look online for wine sellers who carry Marsala.
2. Look for a sweet or dry bottle of Marsala. "Superiore," "Superiore Riserva" and "Vergine" Marsala can be either sweet or dry.
3. Find a mature Marsala. Marsala's taste becomes smoother the longer the wine ages in wood. "Superiore" Marsala is aged for at least 2 years while "Superiore Riserva" is aged for 4-6 years. The best quality and most expensive "Vergine" or "Vergine Soleras" is aged 5-7 years. Sweet young "Fine" Marsalas tend to be better for cooking than sipping.
4. Please your palate. Marsala can be sweet, dry or somewhere in between. Sweeter Marsala is labeled "Dolce", while dry Marsala is "Secco." "Demisecco" is semi-dry.
5. Color your choice. Modern Marsalas range from deep red (Rubino) to tawny (Ambra) to gold (Oro). Many fine Marsalas are dark red-brown.
   Balance the budget of quality versus price tag.
6. Balance the budget of quality versus price tag.
7. Chill Marsala before serving.
8. Enjoy Marsala with your meal, as an ingredient in your meal, with dessert, as dessert, or all by itself.

Tips & Warnings

• Because Marsala contains some wine brandy, it is called a fortified wine.
• “Speciale" Marsala may contain eggs, fruit and other extras, which can dramatically alter the flavor.
• Some vintners produce Marsala liqueurs as well as Marsala wine, but the liqueurs are not widely distributed.
• As a rule, avoid Marsala dessert wines that are produced outside Italy. Flavor and quality are not comparable.