The Malvasia Grape

“Malvasia” is one of those problem designations, because—like “Refosco” and “Muscat” (among others)—it is a blanket term, and that blanket lies over quite a few definitely distinct grape types. We will try here to clarify the Malvasias a bit.

Malvasia, as we just said, is not a particular grape, but rather a set or group of somewhat similar white-wine (mostly white) grapes—all long but (probably) erroneously thought to be ultimately of Greek origin—now grown all over the wine-making world. We call them a “set” not a “family” because they are not by any means all related. Some Malvasias, a sub-set of the whole shebang, are related, and could be called a family, but that is not terribly helpful unless you are a wine professional keeping score. Wines from this set—84 internationally recognized varieties exist; in her encyclopedic book Wine Grapes, Jancis Robinson covers 18 of them, and she just focuses on the more significant ones—have been important in the wine trade since antiquity; as Robinson points out, in the time of the Venetian Republic the very word for wine shop was malvasie (and the Friuli region around Venice remains a center of Malvasia winemaking today). A reasonably full list of the family members, with comments, can be found at Wikipedia. Take especial note that there are several grape types whose names begin Malvasia Bianca, so not all wines labelled “Malvasia Bianca” are necessarily from the same grape: pay attention to the “sub-type” (if it is given).

The Malvasia set, or group, is remarkably diverse, producing both dry and sweet wines, and both white and (though unusual) red. The best Malvasia varieties are generally considered to be among the dozen and a half or so of world-class grapes. The group is also, all types told, one of the dozen or so most-planted wine grapes in the world. Malvasia wines are quite distinctive, and urgently need to be appreciated for what they are, and not looked at as parallels or analogues of other types. Probably the chief distinguishing characteristic of a table wine made from a Malvasia is its profoundly powerful, aromatic (but not cloying) nose—very floral. Many people trying their first dry Malvasia take one sniff and assume it will be some heavily sweetened goop, and are surprised (“shocked” might not be too strong a word) at its dryness. It is a big mistake to expect well-made Malvasias to be “sippers”, because they are a lot more than that, and the novice taster who is disappointed that the wine “is too dry” is just plain missing the point.

Owing to the rampant mis-identification of Malcasia types, it is hard for consumers to know what particular Malvasia they may be getting when they buy a bottle, no matter how it is labelled. That said, the two likeliest types to look for are Malvasia Istriana and Malvasia Moscata. Each wants a bit of commentary.

Malvasia Istriana is the name that grape goes under in Italy, but it is as or more likely to be found labelled Malvazija Istarka, its name in Croatia where a lot of it is bottled. Malvasia Istriana grapes are mostly grown on the Istrian peninsula, the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, located at the head of the Adriatic and shared among three nations: Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia. The Italian portion and the Croatian portion do not adjoin, but they are not far apart (maybe 10 miles at most). Istria’s ownership has, as is too common in that part of the world, bounced around a lot over the last couple of centuries; it was part of Italy from the end of World War I to the end of World War II, then a part of the artificial “nation” of Yugoslavia, then (after 1991) was carved up between Slovenia and Croatia (with a border still not exactly agreed to by those nations). But the wine-making culture is area-wide, and Malvasia Istriana and Malvazija Istarka are the same grape, and the wines are made equally well in both nations (and, in both, in a huge variety of styles from big and strong to light and elegant).

Malvasia Moscata, meanwhile, is a relatively new name for the grape long known as (among many other things!) Malvasia Bianca di Piemonte (Robinson) or Malvasia Bianca del Piemonte (D’Agata). In Italy, this grape was virtually extinguished by the phylloxera plague that so devastated all European vineyards in the mid-nineteenth century; re-plantings substituted grape types then thought more commercially useful. That might have ended the type, but as it happened Piemontese immigrants to America, and specifically to California, had brought along cuttings, and the grape, though not a star, continued its existence. To this day, virtually any American-made wine labelled “Malvasia Bianca” is in fact Malvasia Moscato. And some quite fine specimens are made.

And though for simplicity we pass over that horde of other Malvasia-Something grapes, don’t hesitate to try any bottle you come across, because most Malvasias can make excellent wine. (Of course, that doesn’t mean every wine labelled Malvasia-Something is great: just that the various grapes are mostly—though not entirely—capable of excellence.) But do have a care about the sweetness of any unfamiliar bottle of Malvasia-Something, lest you get, one way or the other, an unwanted surprise.

Malvasia is frequently used in blends, to provide a little life to otherwise dead-dull bottlings of inexpensive, highly productive grapes (such as Trebbiano). Monovarietal bottlings of table-wine (that is, dry) Malvasia—from any of the “Malvasia Somethings” are relatively scarce, at least in the U.S.

Factoid: Malvasia is the grape of the “Malmsey” wine often referred to in Shakespeare’s works; today, the term is used to refer to certain types of Madeira.

Some Descriptions of Malvasia Wines

Wikipedia
“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 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 that is often described as ‘round’ or ‘fat’ and soft texture in the mouth. Common aroma notes associated with Malvasia include peaches, apricots and white currants. 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, 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.”
Forgotten Grapes
“Similar to Semillons and Sauvignon Blancs, you’ll find many of the same tropical fruit notes on a Malvasia Bianca, but with one noticeable difference: Malvasias have a very distinctive perfumed scent to them. Lots of floral scents such as hibiscus and hyssop, and even some more herbal or vegetal scents, such as green olive. Sniffing a glass of Malvasia Bianca can be equated to walking through a citrus orchard just as the trees are launching into bloom. Lots of fragrant but not overpowering or cloying floral and tropical aromas. The flavor of a Malvasia Bianca will often depend on the amount of residual sugar left in the wine. More sugar left post-fermentation will result in slightly sweeter Malvasias, while little to no residual sugar means, you guessed it, dryer and crisper wines. Flavor-wise, Malvasias will have lots of the same tropical and citrus flavors smelled earlier: papaya, guava, some pineapple, regular apple, maybe some tangerine as well. The wines often have a very soft, sometimes even slightly viscous or oily mouth feel to them, and they can finish very long, sometimes with a bit of rind-like bite on the back end. Either way, these are very easy going wines that drink very smoothly and can flexibly handle lots of different flavors.”
Vinistra
“It’s [a] specific and discreet aroma which reminds us of acacia flower fragrance especially if the grapes are from the higher and sunny positions. Fruit aromas that usually dominate are apple, plum and apricot. When the wine is mature there’s a certain bitter almond taste too.”
Cal-Italia
“Whether sweet or dry, Malvasia Bianca offers delightful aromas and flavors of honey and ripe Bosc pears with hints of allspice. Round, lushly fruity flavors and a plush texture lead to a finish that is determined by the degree of residual sugar and the cellar treatment. The lightest versions offer a clean, crisp finish, while those aged in small barrels may display light tannins and a hint of vanilla. Sweeter, more opulent versions linger on the palate. Aging: None on the lighter renditions; two years for the full-bodied dry ones.”
Wine Making Talk
“The Malvasia Nera wine smells a bit like chocolate covered dried cherries. On the palate the wine is with medium acidity and medium tannins. There are flavors of cocoa with a touch of dried cherry and black fruit. It is bitter, earthy chocolate and coffee flavors. Even though it has weighty body on it, it tastes soft and austere, because there is practically no fruit flavor to the taste.”

Some Malvasias to Try

If one believes the wine search engines, there is not a lot of dry Malvasia to be found in America. And, whether this is chicken or egg, neither are there a lot of credible reviews of dry Malvasia table whites. Our own experience suggests that there is a deal more of this wine, both Old World and New World, in shops than the search engines show; when in a wine shop, keep an eye out for any Malvasias, especially Old World samples—they are probably worth a go.

To make a reasonable set of well-ranked but at least plausibly available Malvasias was thus a task. In the end, we came down to just a few specimens that met the triple tests of quality, price, and reasonable availability. One is a California wine, while the others are all Croatian Malvazija Istarkas.

For a Splurge

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