What's the shelf life on Marsala Wine?
I am making Chicken with Sauteed Pears and Rosemary Sauce (from Epicurious, here: http://www.epicurious.com...) and wondering if I can keep Marsala in my pantry like a vinegar, or if it will spoil after opening?
Recommended by Food52
4 Comments
Marsala has a high enough alcohol content to remain usable for months. Fortified wines were originally produced for just that reason, to survive long voyages by sea. The wine will slowly lose quality, a process that, like most, can be slowed by refrigeration, although not strictly necessary.
Vinegar can be made using wild yeast but I'm not a fan of relying on chance (especially since chance may provide you with undesirable elements as well). I'd do a little research on the optimal alcohol content for fermentation -- the high level of alcohol that preserves fortified wines is also high enough to kill off the acetobacter bacteria. In other words, some level of dilution would be required.