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Marsala Superiore GD wine — Pellegrino winery — Dionysus
FortifiedMarsalaDOC

Marsala Superiore GD

by Pellegrino · Sicily, Italy

AppellationMarsalaDOC
TypeFortified
GrapesGrillo, Catarratto, Ansonica
Alcohol18.0%
SweetnessSweet
Colour depthMedium
BodyFull-bodied
Serve at8–16 °C
Keeps for3–5 years
Bottled in0.75 l
PellegrinoSicily, Italy

About this wine

Vineyard and terroir

The grapes come from Pellegrino’s vineyards in Marsala, in the province of Trapani, on Sicily’s western coast beside the Tyrrhenian Sea. The climate is dry, with very hot, windy summers, and the soils are dry and sandy-clay.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested in September at optimal ripeness. The high-sugar fruit is pressed to enrich the must with aromatic compounds from the skins. Fermentation takes place at a controlled 20–22 °C. The base wine is then fortified with mistelle, a mixture of grape spirit and must. After stabilization and filtration, the wine is bottled.

Ageing

The wine spends at least two years in oak barrels.

Tasting profile

Sweetness is balanced by freshness.

Label / history

The Marsala style is generally believed to have been created by the English wine merchant John Woodhouse, a specialist in port, sherry and Madeira who arrived in Marsala in 1770. It soon established a strong reputation in the British market and was sold there in large quantities. The wine received a bronze medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition and a silver medal at the International Wine Challenge.