Made in Marsala, a town on the island of Sicily in Italy, Marsala wine is made with local varieties of white grapes.
It contains about 15 to 20 percent of alcohol, which is higher than the average alcohol content in most wines because it is fortified with brandy to control the level of sweetness.
Marsala wine comes in various levels of sweetness, color, and age. It may contain 40 to 100 grams of residual sugar per liter and present lovely amber, ruby, or gold hue.
Some Marsala wines are aged for only a year while the more expensive ones are aged up to ten years.
This rich Italian wine is famous worldwide and is perfect for drinking before or after a meal. It is also the best wine that perfectly complements all types of desserts, cakes, and sweet treats.
But besides that, it is also the go-to wine for cooking. Marsala wine dramatically enhances the taste of varied dishes by lending its sweet, nutty, and savory tang, especially sauces.
How Long Does Marsala Wine Last? Does Marsala Wine Go Bad?
If you like to use Marsala wine for cooking, you have probably experienced having extra in the fridge and wondering if it will go bad.
Marsala wine is fortified with strong alcohol. As a result, its longevity is relatively high.
It will not get easily spoilt but will lose its scent and flavor when kept open for too long. You can use it safely long after the recommended period on the product label has passed.
Marsala doesn’t really “go bad” in the real sense of the word as it isn’t poisonous or injurious for health. But it implies the degradation in the taste and aroma, which might be unpleasant.
If it does go bad, there are sure signs to determine if you should just throw it, which we will discuss later.
Marsala wine has strong alcohol and sugar content, which makes it more last longer than other wines. You can safely consume it well past the expiry date. It will not harm your health.
An unopened bottle of Marsala wine will last indefinitely if it is tightly sealed and stored in a cool, darkroom.
It is not necessary to keep it in the refrigerator. However, exposure to direct sunlight and humidity can disrupt the longevity of Marsala wine even if it is unopened.
Once opened, it will retain its freshness, taste, and scent for up to six months. After that, your Marsala wine will lose its fragrance and flavor gradually.
To prevent this, you can transfer the remaining content from its bottle and move it to a can of wine preserver.
Removing oxygen before covering with the lid will help retain its aroma and flavor. It is unnecessary to refrigerate opened bottles of Marsala wine: a shelf or cupboard in a dark room will do.
But if you use it for cooking, placing it in the fridge will be more convenient.
How to Tell if Marsala Wine is Bad?
As discussed earlier, Marsala wine’s taste and scent will be at their best within the recommended period on the product label.
But it does not expire as such. However, that does not mean that your leftovers will always be fit for consumption.
Developing an off scent or taste indicates that the quality has degraded, and you should not drink it.
The off scent might smell similar to rotten grapes. The color may also change slightly, indicating that it is exposed to too much oxygen.
Another way to find out if your Marsala wine has gone bad is to pour it into a glass and check for any residues.
Residues or bubbles, if any, indicate that the wine has started to ferment. At this stage, it is better to discard the spoilt wine.
As mentioned earlier, high alcohol and sugar content in Marsala wine do an excellent job preserving it.
On top of that, it comes with Sicily corks, which cut off the supply of oxygen completely. Hence, marsala wine will rarely go off by itself.
However, even if it does, there are no side effects of drinking bad wine, and it will not make you sick.
But if the wine has lost its flavors, it makes no sense to drink a stale wine. And a wine which is not good enough will not be suitable to use for cooking too.
Conclusion
Since the 18th century, Marsala wine, a staple in Italian cuisines, has gained wide popularity. It is the best and most loved among the types of cooking wine.
You can store it in a cool, dark, and dry place. As long as it is well sealed, it will not go bad and retain its flavor and aroma for many years. Keep it away from heat, light, oxygen, yeast, or bacteria, which can cause chemical reactions and change its taste.
Marsala wine doesn’t go out of trend, and the culinary world will be incomplete without this great-tasting wine.
How Long Does Marsala Wine Last? Does Marsala Wine Go Bad?
Ingredients
- Marsala wine
- Labels and markers
Instructions
- Read the guide thoroughly to learn how long it lasts.
- Check the u0026quot;Best-by-dateu0026quot; to know when it expires.
- Make sure to store in a cool, dark place (pantry or fridge).
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