Marsala Fine D.O.C.

The prominence of the Marsala owes to John Woodhouse, the son of a Liverpudlian merchant. He landed in the port of Marsala in the year 1770 and there he got served a local, amber-coloured vin ordinaire promptly, which filled him with enthusiasm.

He started with the shipment of Marsala to England in 1773. He still mixed the Marsala to this purpose with alcohol before the shipment to increase the durability. Woodhouse knew that the Marsala could absolutely keep pace with the fortified wines Madeira (from Portugal) and Sherry (from Spain).

The original cultivable area of the Marsala is at the west coast of Sicily around the province Trapani. Marsala may in addition be produced in the provinces Palermo and Agrigent today.

Vinification:
After the fermentation the corresponding basic wine is completed by spirit and Mistrella or Mosto Cotto (grape juice, unfermented and thickened). By this addition the Marsala gets a high residual sugar content. After that the wine is blended with already mature Marsala to award more character. The maturity is then carried out in oak barrels.