Marsala Superiore Oro Riserva 2009 2009 500ml

The Marsala Superiore Oro Riserva 2009 is a fortified Marsala made from 100% Grillo in a semi-dry style. It carries its 18.0% vol. with elegance: the power and personality typical of the category meet a finely structured frame and subtle freshness, carried by an acidity that defines the whole.

Contrada Samperi near Marsala, largely flat terrain with sandy clay soil. The Grillo vines were planted between 1970 and 1996, 3,500 vines per hectare, trained in bush vine and Guyot systems. The family farms 30 hectares organically and harvests exclusively by hand.

The grapes are hand-picked and selected, gently pressed, naturally decanted and fermented with wild yeasts at room temperature in oak barrels. Part of the must is enriched with grape must to create the mistella, which is later added to the wine, along with a fruit brandy distilled from the same grapes as the base wine. Ageing lasts over ten years in French oak of varying sizes; the barrels are constantly topped up to avoid contact with oxygen.

Amber with orange highlights in the glass. The nose opens with dried figs, dates, dried orange slices, candied orange peel and gingerbread, underpinned by salted roasted almonds, cashews, raisins and cigar box. The palate entry is lean, the sweetness balanced, with no oxidative notes whatsoever. Mild spices, dried fruit and roasted nuts return, and the finish lingers almost endlessly.

Mashed rutabaga with sage butter and gingerbread crumble, peach and mozzarella with pan-seared spiny lobster in garam masala, or a pulled pork sandwich.

This reduced-sugar style was created by Marco de Bartoli in 1985. Between 1995 and 2000 the winery remained closed, as the authorities claimed that a wine with 18 percent alcohol could not be classified as wine. Today, Renato, Sebastiano and Giuseppina carry on the work begun in Samperi in 1978. Bottled in 500 ml.