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about Marsala wines

Discover the story enclosed within every bottle of Marsala wine.

In order to fully enjoy Marsala wines, it is not enough to stop at visual, olfactory and gustatory analysis but you must know the story enclosed within each bottle, rooted in history and unique production features that make Marsala an authentic national historical and enological heritage.

Our story

Vino Perpetuo

The father of Marsala wines

Sicily is one of the cradles of viticulture and vinification; from here, through various colonizations and dominations, it has developed and spread throughout the rest of the peninsula, yet it will forever remain a characteristic feature of Sicilian culture and identity.
In the province of Trapani in particular, thanks to the naturally favorable climatic and territorial conditions, each family had its own vineyard, from which they made wine for domestic consumption and it was customary that a part of the best wines of each vintage was kept in the small family barrel, to celebrate the most important occasions: the carateddu. This typical barrel, with a capacity of about 26 liters, was topped up each year, so that the wine contained in it could age for at least one generation and maintain its characteristics throughout the years. This method, known as Perpetuo, was very similar to the Andalusian Solera, a practice that was certainly better known, but which had been developed by the Sicilian peasants. The first name of Marsala was linked to this practice of aging, thus it was known as Vino Perpetuo. A veritable family jewel, the “carateddu” was cared for and handed down from father to son and an accompaniment at times of celebration, joy and conviviality with the family, with friends and important guests.

1773 Woodhouse

The commercial development of Marsala

Tradition has it that in 1773, the merchant John Woodhouse was directed to the port of Mazara, but, due to bad weather, he was forced to divert the route to Marsala, where he tasted the Perpetuo wine that conquered the palate of the young. Seeing the commercial potential of this wine, Woodhouse decided to send it to his relatives in Liverpool. He added aqua vitae to ensure the product did not spoil during the trip. He called it Marsala wine. The approval of the relatives of Woodhouse was so high that the young man returned to Marsala where he started marketing the product.

1800 Ingham

British entrepreneurship makes inroads in Marsala

The fame of Marsala soon grew to the point of attracting the attention of other English entrepreneurs.

The work of Benjamin Ingham was decisive and he is credited with having improved the production of Marsala from a qualitative point of view, improving its characterization. The memorandum that the same Ingham wrote in 1834 is considered the first act of renewal of Italian enology.

1832 I Florio and local entrepreneurship

The first Italian brand

We must wait until 1832 to find the first Italian name among Marsala producers: “i Florio”, a family of enlightened bourgeois. Vincenzo Florio founded the Sicilian steam company with Ingham himself, and then built the first industrial winery in Italy. Vincenzo set up his own production baglio between those of the two British giants, surpassing the British competitors in the space of twenty years.

1866 Cantina Martinez

The first generation

In 1866 Carlo Martinez, a clever young man from Palermo, founded Cantina Martinez. Carlo Martinez, attracted by the commercial potential of Marsala, now the hub of the island’s wine production, decided to found a company, with his brother Francesco, that has now become the most historic in the territory: Cantina Martinez.

1931: Long before the DOC wine

Decreto legge 15 Ottobre 1931, riguarda una prima delimitazione del territorio di produzione del vino Marsala e precede il corpo normativo nazionale sulla I.G.T , D.O.C , D.OC.G , D.O.P.

1963: Marsala D.O.C. is born

Decree Law 12 July 1963, No. 930 bestows the Controlled Origin Denomination to Marsala

1969: Definition of the production regulations for Marsala DOC

Presidential Decree 2 April 1969 first production regulations of Marsala wine

1984: Update of procedural guideline of Marsala DOC production

Law November 28, 1984, n.851 New procedural guideline of “Marsala” wine.

Production process

The production peculiarities of Marsala wines

Harvest

The harvest for the preparation of the base DOC wine begins between late August and early September,
and after that of the mistella and cooked must.

doc wine

sifone or mistella

Must of late harvest whose fermentation is blocked with the addition of alcohol

cooked must

Curing

Marsala wines are fortified wines, that is wines obtained by adding different natural elements,
combined according to the type to be obtained, to the base wine.

marsala vergine

DOC wine + Alcohol

MARSALA SUPERIORE

DOC wine + Mistella

Marsala Superiore Ambra

DOC wine + Mistella + Cooked must

Ageing

Now begins the longest and most important phase in the making of Marsala and in the creation of the identity of each of its individual types: aging in wooden containers. The Marsala rests within them for long years during which it develops its characteristic oxidative bouquet, due to the partial filling of each individual vessel, which leaves the Marsala in contact with oxygen.

The regulations

Acquaint yourself with the over 30 different names of Marsala wines

Territory

The production regulations of Marsala wines circumscribes the province of Trapani with the exception of the area of Alcamo, the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria as the production area of Marsala D.O.C.
The grapes must be grown, the product worked, aged and bottled within this area in order to be called Marsala.
This territory is located in the so-called “band of the sun“, an area in the middle of the Mediterranean (between the 34th and the 43rd parallel) that, thanks to its warmth, the sea breeze and the thermal excursion is the ideal cradle for Marsala and other sweet and liqueur wines.

The vines

The grapes that, according to the production regulations, are intended for Marsala must be grown in the DOC area and pertain to different vines:
White grapes:
Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia and Damaschino
Red berried grapes:
Nero d’Avola or Calabrese, Pignatello or Perricone and Nerello Mascalese (used only for Marsala Ruby).
These vines must be registered in the registers for this purpose provided for by Presidential Decree 12 July 1960, No. 930

The classification of Marsala

There is a Marsala for every occasion.

It is not enough to ask for or offer a Marsala, you need to know the Marsala in order
to be able to choose or serve the right one, at the right time.

Classification based on aging

0
year minimum

Fine

0
years minimum

Superiore

0
years minimum

Superiore riserva

0
years minimum

Vergine

0
years minimum

Vergine riserva

Classification based on sugar content

sugar

>100

gr/L

sweet

sugar

<40

gr/L

dry

sugar

>40

gr/L

semidry

Classification based on color

addition of more
than 1% of
cooked must

amber

without
cooked
must

gold

without cooked must,
maximum 30% of
white grapes

ruby

THE PAIRINGS

As is traditional desserts, especially almond or ricotta, are the perfect pairing to Marsala.

But Marsala is a living tradition and does not stop at the end of the meal: in all its types, it can amaze even the most curious and savvy palates, always displaying a different side of itself with new and appetizing combinations.

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