THE NATIVE GRAPES
A wine thinkers adventure is how we’d describe our latest outing.
So what is Marsala really all about?
At the height of its fame, it was one of the most sought after ‘fortified’ wines in the English speaking world. Yet today, even if you’ve heard of it, chances are like us, you’re probably thinking of it as a occasional cooking ingredient.
So why is it that a wine whose history bears all the hallmarks of a rock n’ roll legend should find itself relegated to the kitchen cupboard, instead of ‘main stage’ on the dining table?
Like us, you wanna know more but where the heck do you start ? First tip, ask a friend. We did and they pointed us in the direction of one unforgettable tasting of Marco De Bartoli (MDB) creations.
Brief history lesson
It was Liverpudlian, John Woodhouse who accidently discovered Marsala way back in 1773. Accidently we say, because word has it, during stormy weather his ship sought shelter in Sicily’s western port of the same name. So let’s set it straight from the off. Woodhouse didn’t invent Marsala. It’d already been around for centuries. But, with his cultured British palate, what he did do was build a platform for what would become known as ‘modern’ Marsala. A taste of MOD culture no less.
Different, yet in very many ways similar to the prized fortified wines of Spain & Portugal, Woodhouse and not too long after him also Ben Ingham, found their way to add to and then harness the potential that these Marsalese wines presented. To try and put it in a nutshell, think of The Beatles and The Monkees. The Monkees were a commercial venture created in 1960’s US to take advantage of the crazed global demand for Liverpools Fab 4. And hey, it worked.
And that’s just how it was for Woodhouse’s Marsala some 165 years earlier. Eyeing the established global success of Spain’s Jerez wines (aka Sherry), by fortifying these newly discovered Sicilian wines, Woodhouse aimed to access the lucrative market that Sherry, Madeira and Port had already tapped into. And hey, it worked.
Decades of business growth later brought Marsala to dizzying heights all around the globe. However with a century of success under it’s belt, and with Woodhouse and Ingham having exited stage left (time always takes its toll), ‘British Marsala’ as it’s occasionally referred to today by Marsala locals, fell victim to market changing tastes and preferences. Moreover, that some late entry producers sought to pass off lesser quality produce in the name of Marsala, sadly ushered still further its quick decline.
Fast forward to today and like us, more than likely you’ve probably already unwittingly tasted Marsala
…in some tiramisu dessert or Chicken Marsala sauce.
But now, thanks to the Marco De Bartoli (MDB) winery, let’s taste if for real.
7 stunning wines, spanning 112 years….yeah, that’s no misprint, we’re talkin’ 112 years.
- Marsala Superiore Oro 5 Anni Vigna La Miccia 2005
- Marsala Superiore Oro 10 Anni Riserva 1993
- Marsala Superiore Oro Riserva 1987
- Vecchio Samperi Ventennale (Perpetuo)
- Marsala Vergine Riserva 1988
- Vino di Marsala Riversa Personale 1955
- Vino di Marsala Riserva Personale 1903
100% Grillo – antique gold with flashes of red to amber. The nose is intense and complex, caramel rich and earthy. On the palate it was surprisingly fresh, lightly sweet with hints of almond paste and peach jam.
100% Grillo – the colour spectrum is similar to the 2005. On the nose we found a more intense, complex wine with incense and spices prevailing.Great acidity and persistence. While classed as semi-secco (off-dry), it felt for all the world as though it were dry. With a sea salty edge, an evolutionary wine there is no doubt. Hints of nail varnish with mushroom, woodland & forest floor aromas withlight dusting of spice.
100% Grillo – Compared with the first 2 wines, while the colour tones are similar, this is a more rigid, bigger, tougher style. Yes there were those complex caramel and etherial notes, varnish but this time that used for treating woods rather than nails. If we can call it such, this is a manly Marsala. Fresh, zippy and spicy on the palate. Potent but nevertheless elegant with it.
100% Grillo – A unique ‘POST’ modern British ‘non-fortified’ Marsala. This tastes as close to what John Woodhouse would have discovered on his first Marsala night out in 1773. Viewed as a territorial standard bearer for 21st century Marsala, in appearance this back to the future gem is yellow gold. On the palate we found its dry and medium body to be fresh, salty and nutty. Very different from the rest. A blended wine using the traditional Marsala method ‘in perpetuo’, which, while not the same, is akin to the Jerez (Spain) Solera system where young wine from each new vintage wine is blended with wines from previous vintages. In this case an average of 20 years. We look forward to many more annual bottling’s of this uniquely original treasure.
100% Grillo – This is the first and last of its kind at MDB. Its luminous garnet and orange hues still brilliantly catching the light. This suggests the wines acidity is still vibrant. And wow is it ! Released in 2015 after 27 years in the cellar! Bright, complex, etherial, rich, shelled almonds and sea salt layers persist longer than Bill Withers on Lovely Day. Spectacularly stunning. Of all we tasted, without a doubt we put this one in our Top Drawer.
Not for commercial release, Renato De Bartoli explained how his Dad, Marco, brought this wine back to life. Discovered in barrels in a run down Baglio, Marco nursed it back into condition. This is like a special Marsala remix. Bright acidity, smoked, cigar tobacco, light honey and woodland. 60 years on this is still kicking.
Not for commercial release. Another example of Marco’s creative genius, Renato explained the grapes for this wine were harvested before the Wright brothers first flight. The wine itself was offered to Marco when the Amadeo Baglio was closing down. “Can you do something with this Marco ?” was the question. BAM! is the answer. Intensity and complexity beyond belief. This is why Marsala got its ‘vino infinito’ (everlasting wine) moniker. After 112 years, in everything from barrels to demi-johns, it is still exceptionally youthful and rich. Notes of coffee, roasted barley, caramel, tertiary hydrocarbon stuff (varnish), rhubarb. On the palate it’s dry, bitter yet delicately sweet, botanical, almost resinous flavours. A very special Marsala.
With a rider like this, you know you’re in the presence of something pretty awesome.
First up, you should note that ‘Grillo’ is the native white sicilian grape at the heart of High Quality Marsala. Up to this, with our hand on heart, we’ve had no ‘monovarietal’ experience of the Grillo variety. But rest assured we intend to delve into its versatile nature during a future GrapeWatch special.
As part of the local and regional classification, there a re 3 styles – Oro Ambra and Rubino. For the Oro & Ambra styles, together with Grillo, Marsala also allows for the addition of other native white varieties namely – Catarratto, Inzolia and Damaschino. While for the Rubino style, producers use native red varieties Pignatello, Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese. There are also 3 sweetness classifications and 5 quality classifications all age related. But as we say, more about all of this and more at a later date.
Why ? Simply put, the De Bartoli focus is 100% on Grillo. And while using this medium sized, relatively sweet, grape to make both a dry 100% mono-varietal white, and more recently an inspiring Metodo Classico Sparkling ‘Terza Via 2012’, it’s the fortified and non-fortified Marsala that sees Grillo making it’s real mark at MDB.
Acidity & minerality are hallmarks of their native ‘Grillo’, imparting as they do two of Marsala’s most unique characteristics. Together they form the back bone of what is known as the ‘vino infinito’ (the everlasting wine).
So like, yeah, we had a taste….
Wow, what a mind opener!…….thankfully one that leaves us with no chance of returning to our factory settings. From the off, we found ourselves amongst an inspiring yet slightly intimidating selection of Marsala MODS and ROCKERS. A big history book to open. But this was an historic moment. You don’t get 112 years of Marsala history, from a single producer, in one room, on any normal day. You certainly wouldn’t describe it as an average road trip to Brighton. Indeed one wonders what the Marsala legends, Woodhouse, Ingham and Florio would have made of all these golden LP’s (Long Players)
On reaching the Vecchio Samperi Ventennale (Perpetuo), we encountered a taste of what Woodhouse might have originally encountered in 1773.
For Renato De Bartoli, son of the late great Marco, this is a wine that MDB believes is bringing both the wine Marsala and most importantly the territory all the way through from to PRE to POST British Marsala tastes. It certainly turns the concept of Marsala on its head. And while the 1955 and moreover the 1903 Riserva Personale did rock the palate, for us the absolute, unique, one-off expression to steal the entire show was MDB’s ‘MOD’ Marsala Vergine Riserva 1988. A 27 year old wine masterpiece, just released in 2015. And what’s more, it marks both the first and last of its kind from Marco.
” I’M A BELIEVER “
THE MONKEES
Marsala “MODS & Rockers”, whose to say?
While we started out with a preconceived idea that these wines might no longer be for Our Generation, MDB’s selection completely hit us for six. Far from sceptical we ended up total converts in the ‘I’m a Believer’ category.
Of this there is no doubt, in the capable hands of Renato and all the De Bartoli family, MDB and Marsala will continue to rock plenty more generations to come.
Who else then but The Monkees “I’m a Believer” to close out this chapter. Funny how it feels like it’s Mod culture meeting Rock n’ Roll all over again. Ah yes, blessed are those who’ve just tasted and now suddenly believe. Call it Karma.
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