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Sicilian Fortified Classic · Marsala Wine

Marsala

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Marsala was essentially invented for the British market: an English merchant named John Woodhouse fortified the local wine with brandy in 1773 so it could survive the sea voyage home, accidentally creating one of Italy's most famous exports.

Marsala is an amber to deep brown fortified wine from the vineyards around the port city of Marsala, ranging from dry to very sweet and aged in a solera-style system of wooden casks. It's sipped as an aperitif or digestif, and just as often used in the kitchen for dishes like veal Marsala and zabaglione.

Why it's made this way: The wine takes its name directly from the western Sicilian port city where it's produced, and its production method and DOC status are tied specifically to that stretch of Sicilian coastline.
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