MARSALA SUPERIORE RISERVA, Vito Curatolo Arini. Sicily

Marsala is made in Trapani province, western Sicily. It is made by blending white wine, grape alcohol, ‘mosto cotto’ (cooked grape must) and ‘mistella’ (grape juice with added alcohol). Superiore Riserva is the most aged (and most serious) version. It is just off-dry (28 grammes per litre of residual sugar).

Grillo, Cataratto and Inzolia grapes aged in a mixture of Slavonian oak casks, French and American barrique and tonneau, for 10 years

The Curatolo family have managed the estate since 1875 – one of the few still upholding the region’s reputation for quality and authenticiity

They recommend it serve chilled as an aperitif or, more realistically in the UK, with cheese or even with tea and cake