Marsala wine is a fortified wine produced for centuries in the province of Trapani, discovered by the English trader John Woodhouse in 1773, who with British funding began its industrial production. In fact, the entrepreneur began by supplying it to the British army, selling it as a medicine to get around the alcohol ban set by the administration.
The traditional method used by locals is to add a part of the old wine to that of the new production each year.
In 1833 the entrepreneur Vincenzo Florio, from Palermo, began producing Marsala wine in competition with British companies, and founded the Florio wine cellars.
In 1931 a special law was made to protect the original wine from any imitations.
The Marsala wine was the first DOC wine known in Italian history.
