Marsala White Blend Germany Rheingau / Rheinhessen Wine

Marsala is a well known fortified wine from Italy’s largest island, Sicily. A largely misunderstood and undervalued fortified wine, it is most commonly associated with its sweet variety - usually used as a cooking wine - although the finest dry Masalas are able to stand up to more revered, similar wines such as Sherry and Madeira. Marsala has been made in Sicily since the mid 18th century, and it grew wildly popular around Europe as sailors introduced it to port towns across the continent. Marsala wine has a beautiful set of flavors, most typically including apricot, tamarind, vanilla and tobacco, making it a delightfully intense treat when served as a sipping wine.



Marsala wine comes in several different varieties, and most of them are a world away from the sweet wines used in sauces and chicken dishes. Amber, golden and ruby versions of Masala are produced, from a range of different native grape varietals, and many of the finest are aged for over ten years to achieve a fascinating set of complex flavors and a remarkably smooth finish. It is usually made from the Grillo, Inzolia, Damaschino and Catarratto white grapes, although the ruby Masala wines uses typical Sicilian red varietals such as Nero d’Avola and Calabrese, among others.

As in many Old World countries, the rise of viticulture in Germany came about as a result of the Roman Empire, who saw the potential for vine cultivation in the vast flatlands around the base of the Rhine valley. Indeed, for over a thousand years, Germany's wine production levels were enormous, with much of the south of the country being used more or less exclusively for growing grapes. Over time, this diminished to make way for expanding cities and other types of industries, but Southern Germany remains very much an important wine region within Europe, with many beautifully balanced and flavorful German wines being prized by locals and international wine lovers alike. The hills around Baden-Baden and Mannheim are especially noteworthy, as these produce the high end of the characteristic semi-sweet white wines which couple so perfectly with German cheeses and pickled vegetables. However, all of Germany's wine producing regions have something special and unique to offer, and are a joy to explore and experience.

The region of Rheinhessen is the largest and most productive of all of Germany’s wine regions, and wine has been produced here since the Roman occupation of the country. It was favored by Charlemagne, too, whose influence was felt all over Europe, and Rheinhessen wines were at many points in history the height of fashion. Rheinhessen is bordered by the mighty river Rhine in the north and to the west, and is typified by its undulating topography - indeed, it is known locally as the ‘land of a thousand hills’.

The finest appellations in Rheinhessen are generally considered to be those in the Roter Hang (red slope), where the red sandstone soil imparts plenty of character and fascinating features. However, many popular and highly regarded wines from Rheinhessen are produced on the banks of the river Rhine, where the varied soils are full of interesting characteristics carried by the water. The majority of wines produced in this part of Germany are white, with sixty nine percent of the region’s total output being made up of Riesling and Muller-Thurgau varietal grapes. Red wines also thrive here, though, and Dornfelder is a popular varietal which is regularly praised for its depth and expression.