If you are looking for a wine that you can drink and cook with, look no further than Marsala wine. This fortified drink has been around since the 1700s and is perfect for making chicken marsala, rich sauces, desserts, or just sipping on after dinner.
However, if you’re looking for Marsala wine, you might wonder where to find it in the grocery store.
You will find Marsala wine in either the vinegar aisle or the wine aisle. Cooking Marsala wine is kept with the bottles of vinegar and other cooking wines while drinking Marsala wine is with the rest of the dark dessert wines.
If you are only looking for a wine to cook with, check out the baking aisle. Look near the rest of the kinds of vinegar, cooking wines (such as sherry), or marinades. Marsala cooking wine is usually labeled as such and easy to find if the store stocks it. Vinegar is sometimes kept near the oils in the baking aisle.
However, if you want wine to drink, look in your grocery store’s wine section. Not all grocery stores have a wine section, and not all wine sections stock Marsala wine. However, if it’s there, you’re likely to find it with the darker wines or the dessert wines, like port or brandy.
For Marsala wine that can be cooked with and consumed plain, you should probably buy drinking wine. Cooking wine is much less sweet and won’t taste the same, because it’s not meant for human consumption.
However, drinking wine is delicious to sip and won’t make a difference in your recipe.
Where to Buy Marsala Wine Near Me
Here are some of the regular grocery stores in America and whether or not they stock Marsala wine:
Walmart
Walmart is the biggest grocery store in the world and carries Marsala wine. You’ll be able to find Holland brand Marsala cooking wine in Walmart, perfect for your cooking needs. While some branches of Walmart carry Marsala drinking wine, not all of them do. Check your local Walmart for details.
Target
Target stocks sweet red Marsala wine for drinking in any store with a wine section. However, it has a limited grocery section and few cooking wines. Some Super Targets have marsala cooking wine, but most only have sherry.
Kroger
Kroger stocks both cooking Marsala wine and dessert wine, so whichever you need, you’ll be set if you have a Kroger nearby. Make sure you check local hours and know your state’s alcohol selling hours.
Safeway
Safeway is another large grocery store that stocks Marsala wine of both cooking and drinking variations. The wine options are limited, so not all stores might have drinking wine, but cooking wine is available.
Whole Foods
Most Whole Foods stores have Marsala cooking wine, and those with alcohol sections are likely to stock drinking wine as well. However, Whole Foods’ catalog regularly changes so the wine selection might change before your visit.
How to Buy Marsala Wine Online
Buying wine online is a tricky business: not all states allow you to ship alcohol through the mail.
If you live in a place that permits the delivery of alcohol, you can order Marsala wine through these locations.
Amazon
You can buy almost anything on Amazon, and Marsala wine is no exception. There are multiple brand and size options, including a 45-ounce jug of marsala wine and a sampler pack of several different cooking wines.
Walmart
Walmart has a pickup or delivery service. You can order Marsala wine online through the app and it will be delivered to your doorstep. If you’re willing to wait a bit to receive your ingredients, this is a perfect option for you.
Wine.com
For any online wine purchases, you can go to wine.com. No matter what vintage or brand you want, you will probably find it and be able to get it shipped to you (granted that it’s legal where you live and you are over 21).
Instacart
Instacart is another easy place to find groceries online. It uses the groceries near you to set up a delivery system, so you can get what you need without leaving the house. This is perfect for Marsala cooking wine and whatever else you need to complete your ideal recipe.
What Can I Get Instead of Marsala Wine?
Of course, it’s not always possible to find Marsala wine or to find it in time for the recipe you’re making. If you can’t get it in enough time for your particular event, don’t worry.
There are several options available as substitutes for Marsala wine.
1. Madeira
Madeira is the closest option because it is a fortified dessert wine with many similar flavors and tastes. If you need to find Marsala as a drink, Madeira is just as delicious and will hit many of the same notes.
2. Fortified Wine
Any fortified wine is an excellent replacement either in cooking or to drink. Because fortified wine is more robust and lasts longer in storage, it has a distinct taste.
Certain types and vintages will have different flavors, but they can be swapped out in recipes or as an after-dinner drink.
3. Dry Sherry
For cooking, dry sherry becomes the best option for marsala wine. It is a fortified wine but was intended for cooking, so it’s not as sweet as many of the other wines on this list.
If you need to make a recipe and can’t find Marsala, try dry sherry for a similar flavor profile.
