Colombo History

Like many of the wonderful pleasures in life, Marsala was created by accident. The fortunate mistake can be traced back to British sea merchant, John Woodhouse, in the 1700s. Traveling to the port of Marsala in Sicily, Woodhouse became enamored with the local culture and more specifically, the local wines. Naturally, he endeavored to bring a few barrels back to England, but the trip would be long and he feared the wine would spoil. To combat spoilage, Woodhouse decided to add a bit of brandy to the barrels to fortify the wines.

The fortified Marsala wine Woodhouse shared with his family and friends became very popular. So much so, that he returned to Sicily for more barrels and began its mass production and commercialization. Marsala wine soon became a staple in thousands of kitchens worldwide.

Today, Colombo Marsala is the #1 selling imported Marsala wine. It is steeped in the heritage of Sicilian wines. The company’s vineyards, located in western Sicily slightly inland from Marsala, produce the highest quality Grillo, Inzolia and Catarratto grapes. The grapes are harvested for the wine, which is then fortified with select wine brandy for a distinct Marsala flavor.

Try America’s best-selling imported Marsala wine beloved by both professional and home chefs across the nation.