The enduring ubiquity of the Italian-American dish chicken Marsala ensures that, for many Americans, Marsala is a household name. It also means that Marsala is often categorically relegated to the ranks of cooking wine — an unfair station to occupy in perpetuity for something as unique, versatile, and delicious as Marsala.

Marsala is a fortified wine named for its village of origin on the west coast of Sicily, made from a variety of native grapes and subject to oxidative aging techniques. “Among Sicilian wines, Marsala is certainly one representing the long history and traditions of the island,” says Roberto Magnisi, winery director for Cantine Florio, one of the oldest Marsala wineries in the region.