Vito Curatolo Arini 12 Marsala Superiore Riserva Dry

Marsala is a fortified wine, defined as a wine whose fermentation is stopped by the addition of some grain alcohol, thereby killing the yeast cells and raising the wine's alcohol level while preserving some of its natural sweetness. The wine is produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marala, Sicily using the local white grapes: Grillo, Inzolia, Catarratto and Damaschino.

The wine varies in its alcoholic punch, ranging from 15–20% alcohol by volume (ABV). Marsala wines are classified by color, sweetness, and duration of ageing. The most common request we get in our stores is by sweetness level, broken down into three categories:

1. Secco ("Dry", up to 40 grams of residual sugar per liter), 
2. Semisecco ("Semi Dry", between 41–100 g/L)
3. Sweet (over 100 g/L)

Marsala wines became popular as an aperitif, often served with small salty snacks such as nuts or olives. Try its drier versions chilled with Parmesan, Gorgonzola or Roquefort or with dried or fresh fruits. The sweeter versions can be served at room temperature as a dessert wine. 

Today, the wine's most frequent calling is to the service of savory dishes, where the dry versions are in high demand for the nutty flavor they lend to the dish after reducing the wine almost to a syrup with onions or shallots before adding mushrooms and herbs - think chicken marsala. The sweet versions of Marsala come into service for rich Italian desserts such as zabaione, tiramisu and shortcake.