Packaged in its traditional 750-milliliter bottle with the easy-pull cork, the 2014 Marsala Superiore Secco Vecchio Florio opens to a dark amber color with oxidized aromas of brown sugar, maple syrup, tar and resin. The 18% alcohol rises quickly to your senses. There also is caramel and wild mushroom on this blend of Grillo and Catarratto. Oak aging is fundamental to Marsala, and this entry-level wine sees three years in traditional oak casks. This wine was first produced in 1915, and today 800,000 bottles are made.

A traditional blend of Grillo and Catarratto, the Cantine Florio 2013 Marsala Superiore Secco Vecchio Florio (packaged in a 750-milliliter bottle) is one of Sicily's best-kept value secrets. This fortified wine is engineered to show perfect consistency year after year. Standard aromas for Marsala include dried apricot, maple syrup, brown sugar and a tangy touch of button or porcino mushroom. The wine finishes on a dry note with 19% alcohol that leaves a mark. The secret of Marsala is the oak-aging regime that sees the wine resting in various sized containers for up to 30 months. This is a historic product for Sicily, with the first vintage made in 1915. Some 800,000 bottles are produced today.

This is Cantine Florio's base Marsala. The 2012 Marsala Superiore Secco Vecchio Florio shows those characteristics notes of oxidation with caramel, butterscotch, walnut, honey and maple syrup. There's a distant touch of white truffle or wild porcino mushroom as well. This is the driest category of Marsala and those lower residual sugar readings make for a more streamlined and powerful mouthfeel. You taste the intensity and the alcohol.

The 2010 Marsala Superiore Secco Vecchio Florio (750ml) exhibits a luminous golden color and immediate aromas of dark honey, caramel and sweet almond paste. Candied fruit and dried apricot also appear in center stage. This is a mild-mannered Marsala with fresh acidity on the close and a feminine personality compared to most.