Marsala Wine From Sicily

Sicily's wine making history roughly parallels that of other Mediterranean regions.

The cultivation of native grapes was refined and expanded by the introduction of new varietals by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, Albanians and Saracen Arabs. Until recently these varieties, Grecanico, Zibbibo, Primitivo and Nero d' Avola, were seldom available and little known outside of Sicily.

In the 1700s, several British families famous for producing port dominated the Sicilian wine-making industry with their development of fortified wine — marsala — made much in the same way as port. Marsala is probably the most commonly recognized wine from Sicily if, for no other reason, than from the popular entree of a decade or so ago, veal marsala, a sauteed dish of veal medallions, mushrooms and reduced marsala wine.

Today, marsala has regained respect alongside port, sherry and madeira as a dessert wine. There are both sweet and dry types called oro (golden), ambra (amber) and rubino (ruby). Fine marsala is aged in wood for one year, superiore is aged for up to three years and superiore reserva for four. Sicily is the largest wine-producing area of Italy, and until the emergence of the European Union nearly all of the island's grapes were used either for local consumption or in the production of marsala.

Beginning in the 1980s, the "new global economy" developed and consumer demand for better wines from New World grapes exploded. Sicily, along with other newly discovered wine regions such as Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, all began clamoring for international market share. Consequently, wine-making methods were improved, wineries modernized, and the international market was soaked in good wine at affordable prices from all corners of the globe.

Sicily, not wanting to be left behind, began growing New World grapes and producing modern, high quality, exportable, commonly recognized wines at attractive and competitive prices. The southwestern part of the island around the town of Menfi is generally considered to be the best area in Sicily for wine grape agriculture, although quality grapes are grown in abundance all over the island.

I was recently introduced to four New World Sicilian wines from a company called MandraRossa.

MandraRossa's winery is a modern 16,000-acre cooperative created by Diego Planeta. Planeta, whose family has lived in Sicily for five centuries, has been a leader in the modernization and internationalization of Sicilian wine-making since the 1970s. Cooperatives in Sicily are a holdover from the island's socialist past. He was subsequently honored with the equivalent of Sicilian knighthood for his contribution to the advancements of Sicilian wines.

MandraRossa exports six wines, Nero D'avola, a traditional Sicilian grape; shiraz; cabernet shiraz blend, Fiano, a native Italian grape; and chardonnay, which ,as I learned recently, is a grape native to many Mediterranean countries as well as central Europe. All four varietals are hand-harvested from selected vineyards in the cooperative.

The shiraz is bright ruby red with ripe blackberry flavors wrapped by an unusual combination of aromatic eucalyptus-scented vanilla. Although jammy and well-rounded, it lacked the body of Australian shiraz in the same price range, but the unusual mix of aromatic flavors made for a pleasant difference from more intensely fruit-forward wines. Enjoy it with grilled lamb or steak.

The 50/50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz had a brick-red color often associated with Chianti. The cab added spice and cherries to the shiraz fruit and three months of barrel aging added hints of vanilla from the oak. The blend was medium-bodied with a pleasant balance and soft quick finish. This could be a nice little Sunday barbecue wine, a chance to introduce old friends to something new and different.

The whites stole the show. I enjoyed them in the perfect setting after a long busy weekend, a walk on the beach and a swim. Marcia and I had lunch on the restaurant patio overlooking the harbor. We nibbled on black olives, aged cheese and sliced apples while we tasted the Fiano,

Fiano is one of my favorite lunch wines and MandraRossa has done it good service. The wine sparkled brilliantly yellow-green in the afternoon sun. The Fiano's crisp acidity and elegant balance made olives into a meal and cut the salty sharpness of the Parmesan perfectly. Recent vintages of MandaRossa Fiano are prize-winning.

The chardonnay was bright and aggressive with both fruit and acid and proved itself to be equally designed to be enjoyed with food. Most Italian white wines are designed to be enjoyed with Mediterranean-style food; seafood, olives, oil, salt, good crusty bread sub-tropical fruits and marinated vegetables. This chardonnay proved to be no exception and its bright crisp fruit was equally pleasant contrasted with fresh-picked New England fall apples and the remaining few bites of salty cheese.

As often happens over a pleasant glass of wine in a relaxed public place, the people-watching was improved by the lunch. Old friends, new faces, eccentrics, beachfront characters and total strangers passed by. Most were amused or at least interested in a two person/four bottle of wine affair — and those curious enough to ask got a little treat from Sicily.

That's the joy of good wine, and I learned yesterday it works with Sicilian wine, too.

Enjoy. Author Jack Felber can be reached at jack@olympiatearoom.com


To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

To get updates about the Best of Sicily follow us at www.twitter.com/SicilyToday

The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.