Marsala wine is a protected designation of origin for wine (dry or sweet) produced in the region around Marsala, a harbor town in Sicily. Marsala destined for export is always fortified, a practice actually used to cure the wine for the shipment from Sicily to England. Nowadays this practice is still used simply because of the huge popularity of fortified Marsala in the export markets. Marsala wine is fortified in a process called in perpetuum which similar to the solera system used for Sherry.