Marco de Bartoli

Background: Marsala

Marsala first appeared in 1770, when the English merchant John Woodhouse bought a large quantity of wine made in Sicily using the solera system and added spirit to preserve it. The result was a new, highly aromatic fortified wine. From the middle of the twentieth century its reputation declined sharply, as it became a cocktail-like blend of wine, coffee and cream. These wines, known as Marsala Speciale, held DOC status from 1969 to 1984. The rules were later revised and Speciale wines could no longer use the name Marsala. Under the new rules, Marsala must be fortified only with grape spirit added to wine made from overripe, late-harvest grapes.

Marco De Bartoli

After studying oenology in Marsala, Marco De Bartoli worked five years for Pellegrino, a major Marsala producer, and then four years at Mirabella. In 1978 he returned to Baglio Samperi, his family's estate. There he developed his own method for making Marsala, but the wine did not meet DOC regulations, so he named it Vecchio Samperi after the family estate in Contrada Samperi. It was sold as Marsala, without much success.

In 1985 he created Vigna La Miccia, a softer and more elegant version of Marsala. Since 1987 the estate has also produced a traditional Marsala, Marsala Superiore Samperi Riserva.

The estate also makes wine in Bukkuram on the island of Pantelleria.