Marsala, one of the world's most elegant and complex wines.
Marsala wine has a long and rich history dating back to the 18th century. It was created by an English merchant, John Woodhouse, who noticed the potential of local Sicilian grapes during his travels. He began producing a fortified wine similar to Spanish sherry, which soon became popular throughout Europe.
In 1833, another English merchant, Benjamin Ingham, improved the quality of Marsala through the use of innovative ageing and marketing techniques.
Marsala wine became famous for its strong and distinctive personality, as well as its great capacity for ageing.
The most valuable Marsalas in the world are generally those made from high quality grapes and aged for a long time, however, the price of the most valuable Marsalas also depends on their rarity and the history of the producing winery.
Some of the most prized wineries include:
- Florio: founded in 1833, it was one of the first to produce Marsala. Today it produces several varieties of Marsala, including the fine Marsala Baglio Florio, aged for over 10 years.
- Marco De Bartoli: this winery, founded in the 1980s, produces some of the finest Marsalas, such as the Marsala Superiore Riserva 'Vecchio Samperi', aged for at least 10 years.
- Pellegrino: founded in 1880, this winery produces several varieties of Marsala, including the Marsala Superiore Riserva 'Donnafugata', aged for at least 10 years, or the limited edition Marsala Single Barrel Vergine Riserva 2001.
