Malvasia del Lazio

Many varieties are indicated with the name Malvasia, mostly white grapes, geographically distributed a bit all over Italy. Although from different backgrounds, all these varieties share some basic features: in fact they all have a spicy fragrance of musk and apricot and rather high residual sugar. These features make the group of Malvasia particularly suitable for the production of sparkling wines and sweet wines. The grape Malvasia di Lazio, like other Malvasia grapes, belongs to the family whose name comes from a variation of Monembasia, a Byzantine stronghold rooted on the rocks of a promontory situated in the south of the Peloponnese, where sweet wines were produced and then exported throughout Europe by the Venetians with the name of Monemvasia. The wine made from this variety had become extremely popular, so much that Venice was full of taverns named Malvase, designed for its consumption. The grape Malvasia del Lazio, also called Malvasia Puntinata, owes its name to the fact that it is widespread in Lazio, where it is mainly grown in the production areas of DOC Marino and Castelli Romani. It is mistakenly confused with the Malvasia di Candia and Malvasia del Chianti. Its remarkable sensitivity to most vine diseases has prompted many manufacturers to replace it with Malvasia of Candia, more resistant but of lower quality. However, it is not rare to find excellent wines made exclusively with Malvasia del Lazio. The berry is white, medium, spheroid with medium pruinose and consistent skin of yellowish color with dots and brown spots. The bunch is medium-large, pyramidal, winged, sometimes tapered, tight or semi-loose with a medium-large, orbicular, three-lobed or five-lobed leaf. The Malvasia di Lazio prefers hilly terrain, well exposed. The grape Malvasia del Lazio has good and constant production. The grape Malvasia del Lazio gives a golden yellow wine. The scent is slightly aromatic with fruity notes of apricot. In the mouth it tastes fresh and discreet.