Malvasia (), also known as Malvazia, is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region and Macaronesia, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world. In the past, the names Malvasia, Malvazia, and Malmsey have been used interchangeably for Malvasia-based wines; however, in modern oenology, "Malmsey" is now used almost exclusively for a sweet variety of Madeira wine made from the Malvasia grape. Grape varieties in this family include Malvasia bianca, Malvasia di Schierano, Malvasia negra, , Malvasia nera di Brindisi, Malvasia di Candia aromatica, Malvasia odorosissima,

Malvasia wines are produced in Greece (regions of Peloponnese, Cyclades and Crete), Italy (including Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardia, Apulia, Sicily, Lipari, Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, and Sardinia), Slovenia (including Istria), Croatia (including Istria), Corsica, the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, the island of Madeira, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Australia and Brazil. These grapes are used to produce white (and more rarely red) table wines, dessert wines, and fortified wines of the same name, or are sometimes used as part of a blend of grapes, such as in Vin Santo.

History

left|250px|thumb|A map of the island fortress of Monemvasia in the 17th century

Most ampelographers believe that the Malvasia family of grapes are of ancient origin, most likely originating in Crete, Greece. The name "Malvasia" comes from the Italian name for Monemvasia, a medieval and early Renaissance Byzantine fortress on the coast of Laconia in southern Greece; the town's port acted as a trading center for wine produced in the eastern Peloponnese and perhaps in some of the Cyclades. During the Middle Ages, the Venetians became so prolific in the trading of Malvasia wine that merchant wine-shops in Venice were known as malvasie.

Malmsey was one of the three major wines exported from Greece in medieval times. (For other examples, see Rumney wine and Cretan wine).

English historical tradition associates Malmsey wine with the 1478 death of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, brother of King Edward IV of England. Following his conviction for treason, he was "privately executed" at the Tower of London on 18 February 1478, by tradition in the Bowyer Tower; soon after the event, the rumour gained ground that he was drowned in a butt of malmsey wine, as dramatized in Shakespeare's Richard III.

right|thumb|Malvasia grapes

Both Monemvasia and Candia have lent their names to modern grape varieties. In Greece there is a variety known as Monemvasia, evidently named after the port, though now grown primarily in the Cyclades. In western Europe, a common variety of Malvasia is known as Malvasia Bianca di Candia (white malmsey of Crete), from its reputed origin in that area. The Monemvasia grape was long thought to be ancestral to the western European Malvasia varieties, but recent DNA analysis does not suggest a close relationship between Monemvasia and any Malvasia varieties. DNA analysis does, however, suggest that the Athiri wine grape (a variety widely planted throughout Greece) is ancestral to Malvasia.

Grape varieties and wine regions

Most varieties of Malvasia are closely related to Malvasia bianca. One notable exception is the variety known as Malvasia di Candia which is a distinctly different sub-variety of Malvasia. Malvasia bianca is grown widely throughout the world in places like Italy; Sitges in Catalonia, with the renowned variety Malvasia de Sitges; the San Joaquin Valley of California; or the Greek Islands of Paros and Syros.

Croatian varieties

right|thumb|Bottles of Malvazija istarska (Istrian Malvasia) quality wine

; Malvazija Istarska

Malvazija Istarska got the name after peninsula of Istria shared between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy (see also Slovene and Italian varieties). It represents one of the main white wines of Croatian Istria and the north Dalmatian coast. The vine was introduced to the area by Venetian merchants who brought cuttings from Greece.

; Malvasía Rosada

Malvasía Rosada is a red grape variety that is a colour mutation of Malvasi di Lipari / Malvasía de Sitges, and grown on the Canary Islands.

; Malvasia Fina

The name Malvasia Fina is for a Portuguese variety that goes under the synonyms Gual and Torrontés in Spain.

Malvasia de Sitges

With recorded presence in Catalonia since early 14th century. Legend has it that a soldier from the Almogàvers fleet commanded by Roger de Flor brought a stem of malvasia from the eastern Mediterranean. But the Chronicle (1325) by Ramon Muntaner acknowledges its name, value and origin. It was widely grown and exported since medieval times until the advent of phylloxera. Being prone to mildew and other attacks, its cultivation now is much diminished, but the wines produced with it are still highly appreciated globally.

This variety is now only grown in the countryside of Sitges and its surroundings. The grape must, once fermented, gives way to a fragrant, sweet drink with a high alcohol content which is usually drunk after celebrations and after the xatonadas. Nevertheless, it is also used in the preparation of various meat dishes, such as duck breast with raisins or pig's trotters. Its unusual bouquet is the result of various factors: proximity to the sea, a late harvest and the considerable alcohol content and acidity of the wine.

Malvasia de Sitges is an authorised vine variety in the DOPs of Penedès and Catalunya.

Common synonyms

The various varieties of Malvasia are known under a wide range of synonyms including Malvasier in Germany, Malvazija and Malvazia in Istria. Despite its similar-sounding name, the French grape varieties (it is a widely used synonym) referred to variously as "Malvoisie" are not related to Malvasia. The one possible exception may be the Malvoisie of Corsica that ampelographers believe is actually the Vermentino grape that may be related to Malvasia.

Viticulture

left|250px|thumb|Malvasia grapes on the vine

While differences among the many sub-varieties of Malvasia exist, there are some common viticultural characteristics of the family. Malvasia tends to prefer dry climates with vineyards planted on sloping terrain of well-drained soils. In damp conditions, the vine can be prone to developing various grape diseases such as mildew and rot. The rootstock is moderately vigorous and capable of producing high yields if not kept in check. Some companies occasionally use the name "Malvasia" or "Malvazia" for non-vintage Madeiras, especially those primarily marketed to Portuguese-speaking countries.

See also

  • List of Port wine grapes
  • List of Portuguese grape varieties

References

Further reading

  • Jonathan Harris, "More Malmsey, your grace? The export of Greek wine to England in the Later Middle Ages", in Eat, Drink and Be Merry (Luke 12:19) – Food and Wine in Byzantium: Papers of the 37th Annual Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies, in Honour of Professor A. A. M. Bryer, ed. Leslie Brubaker and Kallirroe Linardou, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2007.