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Malvasia (, also known as Malvazia) is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region,
Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...
,
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
and the island of
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
, 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 Oenology (also enology; ) is the science and study of wine and winemaking. Oenology is distinct from viticulture, which is the science of the growing, cultivation, and harvesting of grapes. The English word oenology derives from the Greek word ' ...
, "Malmsey" is now used almost exclusively for a sweet variety of
Madeira wine Madeira is a fortified wine made on the Portuguese Madeira Islands, off the coast of Africa. Madeira is produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own, as an apéritif, to sweet wines usually consumed ...
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, and a number of other varieties. Malvasia wines are produced in Greece (regions of
Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmu ...
, Cyclades and Crete), Italy (including
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (man), it, Friulana (woman), it, Giuliano (man), it, Giuliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_t ...
, Lombardia,
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
, Sicily, Lipari, Emilia-Romagna, and Sardinia), Slovenia, Croatia (including
Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...
),
Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
, the Iberian Peninsula, the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
, the island of
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
, California, Arizona, New Mexico,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and Brazil. These grapes are used to produce white (and more rarely red) table wines, dessert wines, and
fortified wines Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commanda ...
of the same name, or are sometimes used as part of a blend of grapes, such as in Vin Santo.


History

Most ampelographers believe that the Malvasia family of grapes are of ancient origin, most likely originating in Crete, Greece.J. Robinson (ed): ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'', Third Edition, pp. 423-424. Oxford University Press 2006 . The name "Malvasia" comes from the Italian name for Monemvasia, a medieval and early Renaissance Byzantine fortress on the coast of
Laconia Laconia or Lakonia ( el, Λακωνία, , ) is a historical and administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparta. The word ''laconic''—to speak in a blunt, c ...
; the town's port acted as a trading center for wine produced in the eastern
Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmu ...
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 Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
were known as ''malvasie''. The occasional claim that the name might come from the district of Malevizi, near
Iraklion, Crete Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital city, capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion (regional unit), Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Gree ...
, is not taken seriously by scholars. Malmsey was one of the three major wines exported from Greece in medieval times. (For other examples, see
Rumney wine Rumney wine was a popular form of Greek wine in England and Europe during the 14th to 16th centuries. Its name was derived from its exporter ''Romania'', which was at that time a common name for Greece and the southern Balkans, the lands of the Eas ...
and
Cretan wine Cretan wine is wine from the Greek island of Crete. It has a long history since wine was certainly being made by the Minoans since the Bronze Age. Wines from Crete are not listed among those specially prized in classical Greece, but under the Rom ...
). It is alleged that when
Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
convicted his brother, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, of high treason, his private execution (1478) consisted of being "drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine", as dramatized in
Shakespeare's William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
''Richard III''. 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 Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
does not suggest a close relationship between Monemvasia and any Malvasia varieties. DNA analysis does, however, suggest that the
Athiri Athiri ( el, Αθήρι) or Athiri Aspro is a white Greek wine grape used to make Retsina on the island of Rhodes. The grape is noted for its lemon character and in other parts of Greece it is often blended with Assyrtiko. J. Robinson (ed) ''"T ...
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, the San Joaquin Valley of California, the Greek Islands of Paros and Syros. Throughout central Italy, Malvasia is often blended with
Trebbiano Trebbiano is an Italian wine grape, one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. It gives good yields, but tends to yield undistinguished wine. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Also known as ugni blanc, it h ...
to add flavor and texture to the wine. In Rioja, it performs a similar function when blended with Viura.Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'', pp. 120-122. Harcourt Books 2001 .


Croatian varieties

;Malvazija Istarska Malvazija Istarska got the name after peninsula of
Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...
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. The malvasia is called ''malvazija'' in Croatian. It is the main white wine in the region. ;Other The Dalmatian ''
Maraština Maraština (Rukatac, Maraškin, Mareština, Krizol, Višana) is an indigenous white grape variety from the Dalmatian coast, recommended for all Dalmatian sub-regions, and the Croatian Coast, except Istria. On the island of Cres, it is known as kriz ...
'' (also known as ''Rukatac'' etc.) is identical to the Italian variety ''Malvasia Lunga''.


Italian varieties

;Malvasia Bianca di Candia Malvasia Bianca di Candia is Italy's most widely planted Malvasia. ;Malvasia Istriana In Italy this wine is grown in the
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (man), it, Friulana (woman), it, Giuliano (man), it, Giuliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_t ...
region in
Collio DOC ''Collio Goriziano'' (sometimes designated simply as ''Collio'' or ''Collio DOC'') is an Italian wine and winemaking region in northeast Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located in the northernmost part of the Province of Gorizia, in the It ...
and
Isonzo DOC Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine (or Friuli wine) is wine made in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Once part of the Venetian Republic and with sections under the influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for some time, the wines ...
. The name comes from the
Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...
peninsula, which takes in parts of Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy (see also Croatian and Slovene varieties). The vine was introduced into the area by Venetian merchants who brought cuttings from Greece. Malvasia Istriana is also found in the
Colli Piacentini The Colli Piacentini ("Hills of Piacenza") are an Italian wine region located at the western end of Emilia-Romagna. In 1967, the region was given the ''denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) quality designation. Within its boundaries are seve ...
region of
Emilia Emilia may refer to: People * Emilia (given name), list of people with this name Places * Emilia (region), a historical region of Italy. Reggio, Emilia * Emilia-Romagna, an administrative region in Italy, including the historical regions of Emi ...
, where it is used to make sparkling wine known locally as ''champagnino'' or "little Champagne". ;Malvasia di Grottaferrata, Malvasia di Bosa, Malvasia di Planargia In the 19th century and early 20th century, sweet ''
passito Straw wine, or raisin wine, is a wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their juice. The result is similar to that of the ice wine process, but is a much older process and suitable for warm climates. The technique dates back ...
'' style dessert wines made from the Malvasia grape were held in high esteem and considered among Italy's finest wines. Following the Second World War, lack of interest in the consumer market led to a sharp decline in plantings, with many varieties going to the verge of extinction. Today only a few dedicated producers are still making these Malvasia dessert wines from local varieties including the Malvasia di Grottaferrata in Lazio and the Malvasia di Bosa and Malvasia di Planargia in Sardinia. ;Malvasia delle Lipari Since the 1980s, dessert wines made from the Malvasia delle Lipari variety has seen a resurgence in interest on the volcanic
Aeolian Islands The Aeolian Islands ( ; it, Isole Eolie ; scn, Ìsuli Eoli), sometimes referred to as the Lipari Islands or Lipari group ( , ) after their largest island, are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, said to be named after ...
off the north east coast of Sicily. With distinctive orange notes, this Sicilian wine saw its peak of popularity just before the
phylloxera epidemic The Great French Wine Blight was a severe blight of the mid-19th century that destroyed many of the vineyards in France and laid waste to the wine industry. It was caused by an aphid that originated in North America and was carried across the Atl ...
, when more than 2.6 million gallons (100,000
hectoliters The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3). ...
) were produced annually. ; While most varieties of Malvasia produce white wine, is a red wine variety that in Italy is used primarily as a blending grape, being valued for the dark color and aromatic qualities it can add to a wine. The Piedmont of that region is the only significant wine to make varietal , with two DOC zones covering less than 250 acres (100 hectares): Malvasia di Casorzo and
Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco is a sweet, sparkling, red or rosé DOC dessert wine produced in the Italian province of Asti from the Malvasia di Schierano grape variety with the optional addition of up to 15% Freisa. The wine is cherry red ...
. In the
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
n regions of
Brindisi Brindisi ( , ) ; la, Brundisium; grc, Βρεντέσιον, translit=Brentésion; cms, Brunda), group=pron is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Histo ...
and
Lecce Lecce ( ); el, label=Griko, Luppìu, script=Latn; la, Lupiae; grc, Λουπίαι, translit=Loupíai), group=pron is a historic city of 95,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Lecce, the province ...
it is blended with Negroamaro, while in the 1970s & 1980s, it was a frequent blending partner of Sangiovese in Tuscany. In recent times,
Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon' ...
has been supplanting in Tuscany in both planting and in use as a blending partner with Sangiovese. Other regions growing include the Bolzano region of Alto Adige, Sardinia,
Basilicata it, Lucano (man) it, Lucana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = ...
and
Calabria , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
. wines are often noted for their rich chocolate notes with
black plum Black plum is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *''Diospyros australis'', native to eastern Australia *''Pouteria australis'', native to eastern Australia *''Prunus domestica'', the common cultivated plum *''Prunus nigra'', native ...
s and floral aromas. ;Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia Puntinata, Malvasia di Lazio The Lazio region of Frascati is the source of the majority of plantings of Malvasia di Candia, a distinct sub-variety of Malvasia that is not part of the Malvasia bianca branch of the grape family. It is most often used for blending with the related Malvasia Puntinata and Malvasia di Lazio being more highly prized due to their higher acidity and tendency to produce less flabby wines.


Portuguese varieties

In Portugal, there are no fewer than 12 varieties known as "Malvasia". They may or may not be related to true Malvasia. ;Malvasia Fina In 2004, there was nearly 18,533 acres (7500 ha) of Malvasia Fina grown in Portugal where it is also known as Boal (though it is most likely not related to the grape Bual which is used to produce the Boal style of Madeira). Malvasia Fina is found in the Douro where it is a permitted grape in the production of white Port. It is also found in the Tejo and the
Dão DOC Dão is a Portuguese wine region situated in the Região Demarcada do Dão with the Dão-Lafões sub region of the Centro, Portugal. It is one of the oldest established wine regions in Portugal. Dão wine is produced in a mountainous region with a ...
where it is grown on vineyard land located at high elevations. ;Malvasia Candida Malvasia Candida (different from the variety known as Malvasia di Candia) has been historically grown on the island of Madeira being used to produce the sweetest style of Madeira wine known Malmsey. ;Malvasia Rei Malvasia Rei is believed to be the
Palomino Palomino is a genetic color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail; the degree of whiteness can vary from bright white to yellow. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called t ...
grown in Spain for Sherry production which may be related to the Malvasia family. In Portugal, Malvasia Rei is grown in the Douro,
Beiras Beira () was one of the six traditional provinces or ''comarcas'' of Portugal. The territorial extension is different from that of the area called ''the Beiras'', which refers to three provinces of 1936, Beira Alta, Beira Baixa and Beira Lit ...
and Lisboa region. ;Malvasia Corada Malvasia Corada is a
synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
used in the Douro for an obscure white wine grape variety known as Vital that may or may not be related to true Malvasia. ;Malvasia da Trincheira Malvasia da Trincheira is a synonym used in the Douro for the white Port grape Folgasão that may or may not be related to true Malvasia.


Slovene variety

;Istrska Malvazija or simply Malvazija :(Italian Malvasia Istriana and Croatian Malvazija Istarska) In Slovenian Istria the malvasia grape is grown in Koper area, especially on
Debeli Rtič Debeli Rtič ( sl, Debeli rtič, it, Punta Grossa) is a cape in the northern Adriatic Sea on the border between Slovenia and Italy. It is located north-west of the Slovenian town of Ankaran, and west of the Italian town of Muggia. The name (both ...
, Škocjan, Kortina and Labor. It is also grown in Italy and Croatia (see Italian and Croatian varieties). The vine was introduced to the area in the 14th century by Venetian merchants who brought cuttings from Greece. Over matured grapes give a dessert wine with non-fermented sugars and high alcohol level (around 12%) called ''sweet malvasia'' (Slovene and Croatian: sladka/slatka malvazija).Croatian Tourist Board - Buje oneology
accessed 7 February 2011.


Spanish varieties

;Malvasía de Sitges In Spain the Malvasía name is a synonym for
Alarije Alarije is a minor variety of white wine grape from Spain. It is most often used in blends. History Alarije is thought to originate in Spain. DNA analysis had shown that it was part of the Malvasia family, but more recent DNA analysis suggests t ...
, a white grape variety from Extremadura, south-west Spain, but this variety is genetically distinct from the true Malvasias of Malvasi di Lipari (under the Spanish names Malvasía de Sitges and Malvasía Rosada) and Malvasía de Lanzarote grown in Spain. Mavasi di Lipari / Malvasía de Sitges is grown in Catalonia, Spain and is an authorised variety in the Spanish DOPs of Penedès and Catalunya.J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz: ''Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours'' . Malvasía de Lanzarote is a white variety from the Canary Islands, that may be a natural cross between Mavasi di Lipari and Marmajuelo. ;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.


Common synonyms

The various varieties of Malvasia are known under a wide range of synonyms including Malvasier in Germany, Malvazija and Malvazia in
Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...
. Despite its similar-sounding name, the French grape varieties (it is a widely used synonym) referred to variously as "
Malvoisie Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio (, ) or Grauburgunder is a white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir variety, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name, but the gra ...
" are not related to Malvasia. The one possible exception may be the Malvoisie of
Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
that ampelographers believe is actually the Vermentino grape that may be related to Malvasia. Other synonyms for the various sub-varieties of Malvasia include Uva Greca, Rojal, Subirat, Blanquirroja, Blancarroga, Tobia, Cagazal and Blanca-Rioja.Robinson, Jancis ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'', p. 196. Mitchell Beazley 1986 .


Viticulture

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 This is a list of diseases of grapes (''Vitis'' spp.). Bacterial diseases Fungal diseases Miscellaneous diseases and disorders Nematodes, parasitic Phytoplasma, virus and viruslike diseases See also *'' Ampeloglypter ater'' *'' Am ...
such as mildew and rot. The rootstock is moderately vigorous and capable of producing high yields if not kept in check.


Wines

Given the broad expanse of the Malvasia family, generalizations about the Malvasia wine are difficult to pin point. Most varieties of Malvasia are derived from Malvasia bianca which is characterized by its deep color, noted aromas and the presence of some
residual sugar The subjective sweetness of a wine is determined by the interaction of several factors, including the amount of sugar in the wine, but also the relative levels of alcohol, acids, and tannins. Sugars and alcohol enhance a wine's sweetness, whil ...
. The red varieties of Malvasia tend to make wines with pale, pinkish to light red color. In their youth, Malvasia wines are characterized by their heavy
body Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ...
that is often described as "round" or "fat" and soft texture in the mouth. Common aroma notes associated with Malvasia include peaches,
apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...
s and
white currant The white currant or whitecurrant is a group of cultivars of the red currant (''Ribes rubrum''), a species of flowering plant in the family Grossulariaceae, native to Europe. It is sometimes mislabelled as '' Ribes glandulosum'',Darina Allen ...
s. Red Malvasia wines are characterized by a richness and chocolate notes. Fortified Malvasia, such as Madeira, are noted for their intense smokey notes and sharp acidity. As Malvasia
ages Ages may refer to: *Advanced glycation end-products, known as AGEs *Ages, Kentucky, census-designated place, United States * ''Ages'' (album) by German electronic musician Edgar Froese *The geologic time scale, a system of chronological measuremen ...
, the wines tend to take on more nutty aromas and flavors though many Malvasia have a short life span of only a few years after vintage.


Malmsey

In the past, the names "Malvasia" and "Malmsey" occurred interchangeably. , however, "Malvasia" generally refers to unfortified white table or dessert wines produced from this grape, while "Malmsey" refers to a sweet variety of
Madeira wine Madeira is a fortified wine made on the Portuguese Madeira Islands, off the coast of Africa. Madeira is produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own, as an apéritif, to sweet wines usually consumed ...
, though this is also sometimes called "Malvasia" or "Malvazia". Further confusion results from the fact that, in the recent past, the term "Malmsey" referred to any very sweet Madeira wine, regardless of the grape variety involved. This resulted from the devastation of Madeiran vineyards by
phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belong to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs ...
in the late 19th century, which greatly reduced the production of Malvasia and other "noble grape" varieties on Madeira for the next century. As a result, most non-vintage-dated "Malmsey" was made from the widely grown
Tinta Negra Mole Tinta Negra Mole is a red Portuguese wine grape commonly used in the production of Madeira. It is the most widely planted variety on the Madeira islands and is considered the industry's "workhorse A draft horse (US), draught horse (UK) or ...
or even from fox grape varieties. This changed when Portugal entered the European Union (EU) in 1986; EU regulations required that any wine bearing the name "Malmsey" contain at least 85% Malvasia grapes. Even further confusion results from the fact that vintage-dated Malmseys are often labeled "Malvasia" or "Malvazia", probably because the relatively rare vintage Malvasias were always made with Malvasia grapes even when most non-vintage "Malmsey" came from lesser varieties. Some companies occasionally use the name "Malvasia" or "Malvazia" for non-vintage Madeiras, especially those primarily marketed to Portuguese-speaking countries. English historical tradition associates Malmsey wine with the death of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence,Ross, Charles ''Edward IV'' Eyre Methuen Ltd. 1974 p. 243. brother of King
Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
. Following his conviction for treason, he was "privately executed" at the Tower on 18 February 1478, by tradition in the Bowyer Tower, and soon after the event, the rumour gained ground that he was drowned in a
butt Butt may refer to: * Figurative or literal ''blunt ends'': ** Butt joint, a woodworking joinery technique ** Butt splice connector, a type of Crimp connection#Simple crimp connectors, crimp electrical connector ** Buttstock or butt, the back par ...
of Malmsey wine.


See also

* List of Port wine grapes *
List of Portuguese grape varieties Portugal's history of viticulture and vinification covers many centuries and has included the use of an extensive number native varieties. In addition, through experimentation and field trials a number of new varieties have emerged and are now pla ...


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. {{Wines White wine grape varieties Madeira wine Medieval wine Grape varieties of Greece Italian wine Spanish wine Wine grapes of Italy Wine grapes of Croatia Croatian wine Slovenian wines Wine grapes of Slovenia Crops originating from Europe Grape varieties of Spain