Badalucco XI ‘Perpetuum’ Dry Marsala

This wine is made in perpetuum, an ancient solera process where old wine is mixed with fresh juice, dating back to the reign of the Roman Empire. It is a blend of late harvest Grillo, aged oxidatively for 12 years, and Cataratto Lucido from more recent vintages that spends 60 days macerating on its skins. The soils of Western Sicily are called ‘terra rossa’ and are rich with oxidized iron. These soils are also found in the Coonawarra region of Australia, and are extremely ancient soils, known to give the wines higher acidity and sharpness. ‘XI Perpetuum’ has lovely notes of Seville orange, persimmon, ginger, and apricot, while being very savory as well. Pair it with seared tuna or spaghetti with bottarga, a shaved mullet roe that is brings a mouthwatering umami element to many seafood-based pasta dishes.