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Monday, 28 August 2006 |
Pronounced Mal-va-ZEE-ah Bee-AHN-kah. This obscure Italian grape varietal runs the gamut from lightweight to full-flavored, dry to sweet, low to high alcohol.
Pronounced Mal-va-ZEE-ah Bee-AHN-kah. This obscure Italian grape varietal runs the gamut from lightweight to full-flavored, dry to sweet, low to high alcohol. It is sometimes made as a sparkling wine. Its origins date back to an ancient, highly esteemed Greek family of grapes. Malvasia Bianca is vinified in a myriad of styles throughout Italy, North America and Australia. Malvasia Bianca is one of the most widely planted, light-colored grape varieties in Italy and the world. On the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, it makes rare, rich and wonderfully aromatic passito wines. Similar Malvasia dessert wines, made by drying the grapes before crushing, are found throughout central and southern Italy. Malvasia Bianca also is prominent as a blender with Trebbiano in light, dry wines such as Frascati, Malvasia Istriana of Friuli, and the legendary Vin Santo of Tuscany, which can be quite dry or very sweet.
Whether sweet or dry, Malvasia Bianca offers delightful aromas and flavors of honey and ripe pears with hints of allspice. Round, lush and 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
Malvasia Bianca can be grown anywhere, but the drier wines profit from cool, sun-drenched hillsides with light, well-drained soils such as the Santa Lucia Highlands in the Salinas Valley.
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