The 2007 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco Targa 1840 shows a dark amber color with dry aromas of caramel, dried brick and wild mushroom. The wine is a bit lighter in terms of mouthfeel with a dry approach and not as much glycerin or texture. It's a bit more streamlined overall. This wine is aged in large oak casks for at least seven years. Some 40,000 500-milliliter bottles were produced, and most of the production is sold in the U.S. market.

The 2006 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco Targa 1840 (packaged in a 500-milliliter bottle) is a pure expression of Grillo. This wine shows a delicate and finessed side of this powerful, fortified wine. This Marsala opens to a dark amber color with dark copper highlights. The bouquet is dry with fig, prune and exotic spice. You get hints of church incense and Spanish cedar. This is a balanced, full-bodied Marsala with 19% alcohol. It ages in large oak casks for nine long years. Some 40,000 bottles were produced.

I really enjoyed the 2003 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco Targa 1840 (500 ml) and feel compelled to point out what an incredible bargain buy it is. Some 40,000 bottles are produced and all of the wine is aged is large oak casks for nine years. This labor intensive wine is fortified with cooked must and distilled wine that brings its alcohol reading to 19%. It opens to a deep amber color with sophisticated layers of caramel, brown sugar and candied fruit. Those caramel and butterscotch flavors are delicious and indestructible.

This semisecco Marsala from 2001 opens with a dark amber color and savory notes of wild mushroom and spice followed by caramel and toasted almond. There are touches of citrus and candied fruit woven into the wine’s thick texture.——M.L.(4/1/2012)—— 88