Marsala Wine: Thoughts?

WINE TALK
1

Berserkers,

I took a chance a while ago on a couple of bottles each of Florio 2009 Vecchioflorio Marsala Dolce and Pellegrino 1881 Marsala Dolce. I don’t see any postings at all on this wine and after cracking open a bottle, I have some thoughts and was wondering what people here thought of the stuff.

This particular brand is very proud of the fact that it is aged for 30 months in oak far beyond the traditional 24 months required and states so right on the label. Not sure how much difference those extra six months truly make, but I can tell you that in terms of color and flavor, the wine is very similar in taste and sweetness to Malvasia-based sweet Madeira wine with strong stewed fruit flavor, citrus tones, and burnt toffee caramel flavors.

Where I find it differs is a touch less sharp acidity and coffee flavors on the finish, no salinity to speak of (to be expected, it comes from Italy and not Portugal, after all), and minterality is non-existent but it is also way, way smoother in mouthfeel and texture and really glides on the palate.

I was quite surprised at how smooth it was, actually, with little to no heat and perfectly integrated. The only other fortified wines I’ve had that have been so soft and silky and well-integrated are Vintage Ports from the 80s and French fortified wines from the late 70’s/early 80’s.

This is not a big wine by any means but it is a nicely balanced one. All this said, it doesn’t have complexity to match the sweet wines we tend to post about more here like Vintage Port and Sauternes. There is no doubt that this is a quality wine, but I cannot see it evolving into anything more than it is. I enjoy it but don’t feel the need to buy any more bottles.

Interestingly, I also have a couple of bottles of DRY Marsala from the same makers, a 1997 Baggio Florio and 1981 Pellegrino anniversari. Both are a bright orange color which indicates no cooking of the must has been done and is in fact what I expected these Dolces to look like when I first bought them. (The bottles are all black glass). It will be interesting to compare them to dry Spanish sherry, especially Palo Cortado and Oloroso which I love.

So… anyone have any thoughts to share on the Marsalas they’ve had before?
Florio 2009 Marsala Dolce.jpg

2

It cooks well with chicken! [cheers.gif]

Seriously, I have never been impressed, even after trying one of De Bartoli’s Oro Marsala’s some years ago. I’d much rather have a bone-dry Madeira than the austerity of the De Bartoli which reminded me too much of Sherry.

3

I forget the name of the producer(s), but I tasted several Marsalas a while back that were seriously impressive. They were Dressner imports. Marsala of that quality is extremely rare in the US. I’ve never had anything else even close to those in quality.

4

no salinity to speak of (to be expected, it comes from Italy and not Portugal, after all),

I don’t understand that. Is there something about Portuguese wine that’s salty?

Most Marsala I’ve had hasn’t been all that compelling. I’m sure that some is, but it’s been something I haven’t sought and in fact, haven’t really seen too much of so it’s an interesting thing to look into. It’s also been long neglected by wine drinkers in the US, much like sherry, which is enjoying a bit of a hipster boom at the moment. It also has the problem sherry does which is that it comes in dry and sweet styles, confusing customers.

But it does cook well with chicken!

BTW Tran -

This particular brand is very proud of the fact that it is aged for 30 > months > in oak far beyond the traditional 24 > years > required and states so right on the label.

How much of that marsala did you drink again? [cheers.gif]

5

In terms of Portuguese wine, I have always noticed a particular saltiness to the flavor of many white wines produced from there as well as from several Madeiras I’ve tried.

Being such a hot and humid climate near the ocean, it always stood to reason to me that a lot of that humidity is comprised of evaporated salt water from the nearby ocean that is permeating the environment and thus eventually into the wine via barrel aging. I have never detected this in any wine from any other hot climates. It is very distinctive – well at least to my palate – in terms of detectability. I think it really makes Portguese wine very unique.

By this logic, California and Australian wine should also be salty in flavor but it’s just not there. Of course, many good Portugese wines including Madeira are aged ABOVE ground and not in cellars which gives them exposure to salty air above ground so that likely explains it.

Oops. 24 months, no years, is the age requirement for Marsala. I must’ve had more than I thought. Fixed above.