Marsala is the name for 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.
While the city’s natives sometimes drink “vintage” Marsala, the wine produced for export is universally a fortified wine similar to port. Marsala wine was originally fortified with ethyl alcohol to ensure that it would last long ocean voyages, but it is made that way now due to its popularity in foreign markets.

The most creditable version of the introduction of Marsala fortified wine to a wider audience is attributed to the English trader John Woodhouse. 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. Fortified Marsala wine was, and is, made using a process called in perpetuum, which is similar to solera system used to produce Sherry in Jerez, Spain.

Florio purchased Woodhouse’s firm, among others, in the late 19th century and consolidated the Marsala wine industry. Florio and Pellegrino remain the leading producers of Marsala wine today.
Marsala is produced using the Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto white grape varietals, among others. The wine is characterized by its fairly intense amber color, and its complex aroma that shows hints of strong alcohol flavor, perhaps due to Marsala’s relatively high alcohol content of 16% to 20%.
Marsala wine was traditionally served as an aperitif between the first and second courses of a meal. Contemporary diners will serve chilled with parmesan (stravecchio), gorgonzola, roquefort, and other spicy cheeses, with fruits or pastries, or at room temperature as a dessert wine. Marsala is sometimes discussed with another Sicilian wine, Passito di Pantelleria (Pantelleria Island’s raisin wine).
Marsala wine is frequently used in cooking, and is especially prevalent in Italian restaurants in the United States. A typical Marsala sauce, for example, involves reducing the wine almost to a syrup with onions or shallots, then adding mushrooms and herbs. One of the most popular Marsala recipe is chicken marsala, in which flour-coated pounded chicken breast halves are braised in a mixture of Marsala, butter, olive oil, mushrooms, and spices. Marsala is also used in some risotto recipes, and is used to produce rich Italian desserts such as zabaglione and shortcake.

Marsala is known throughout Italy. Residents of the Abruzzo Region of Italy use this wine as an after dinner drink or when making the dish chicken marsala.  Some of the best marsala dishes are served at Villa Casale in Valle San Giovanni.