Substitute for Marsala Wine

About Marsala

Marsala is a fortified Sicilian wine (much like port), originating in Marsala, Sicily. It is made from a blend of Catarratto, Grillo and Inzolia grapes. Like all other wine, Marsala has a couple of different classifications:

• Fine – This Marsala is aged for one year or less
• Superiore – Aged for a minimum of two years
• Superiore Riserva – Aged for a minimum of four years
• Vergine Soleras – Aged for a minimum of five years
• Vergine Soleras Strevecchio and Vergine Soleras Riserva – These types of Marsala must be aged for at least 10 years to bear this designation on its label.

In addition to ageing classifications, Marsala wine makers must also classify the wine according to sweetness:

• Dry – Very little residual sugars
• Semi dry – Some residual sugars
• Sweet – High amounts of residual sugars

Now there's a little bit of information about the wine itself, but if you're looking for a Marsala substitute, you must be thinking about cooking with it and not drinking it.

Cooking with a Substitute for Marsala Wine

If you've ever been to a restaurant that serves Italian food you will almost always find dishes like chicken or veal Marsala. If you want to replicate these dishes at home, but either don't drink alcohol (although in cooking, the alcohol generally is cooked out so you're just left with the flavors) or don't have a bottle of Marsala handy, here are some ideas for a substitute for Marsala wine.

Substitute Recipes

These recipes are easy and the ingredients are easy to find:

• 1/4 cup of grape juice
• 1 teaspoon of brandy

Mix these two ingredients together and you have a great substitute for Marsala.

• 1/4 cup of dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon of brandy

Here's another easy substitution recipe for Marsala:

• Mix equal parts sherry and sweet vermouth

Other Substitutions

Here are some other substitutions for Marsala that are often used in a pinch:

• Madeira – This wine has a lot of the same flavor characteristics as Marsala so it will taste similar, though not quite the same.
• Port – Depending on the type of port you buy, this substitution could get a bit pricey.
• Dry sherry – The flavors in sherry aren't nearly as complex as Marsala, but for cooking it will do as long as Marsala isn't a main ingredient. If you're substituting with sherry, make sure it is actual sherry and not cooking sherry. Cooking sherry has too many additives and a high sodium content that drastically affects the flavors of the dish…and not in a good way.

A Few Final Thoughts

Cooking isn't an exact science, that's the beauty of it. If you're making a standard Marsala dish like chicken or veal Marsala and don't have any Marsala on hand, why not experiment a bit and make the dish your own. Try doing a red wine reduction and throwing in a few herbs like rosemary or sage while it's reducing. Sure, it won't technically be a Marsala dish, but who knows, it just may be better than any Marsala dish you can get at a restaurant.

The point is, there really is not an adequate stand in for Marsala, just imitations. If you're looking for absolute authenticity in the dish you are a making, do yourself (and your dinner guests) a favor by running to your local wine merchant or liquor store and buying a bottle of Marsala.

If you really want to wow you're dinner crowd and want the dish to taste nothing less than fabulous, always spend the extra money on a bottle of "real" Marsala and not "cooking" Marsala. It makes a huge difference in the flavors of the dish and not to mention, whatever you don't use in cooking, you can pour a few glasses for you and your guests while you enjoy dessert.