Malvasia

Dry or sweet, sparkling or still: no matter the version the intense and long lasting  aroma of Malvasia goes very well with many typical products from Emilia Romagna. 
Although it is traditionally known as a semi-sparkling wine, since the '90 it is possible to find also a still Malvasia. Some wineries have had such interesting results making a still wine out of Malvasia grapes that they have devoted all the Malvasia crop to it.

Maybe you don’t know that
Aromatic Malvasia of Candia is a variety whose presence in Emilia Romagna dates back at least to the Renaissance. Its name comes from Monemvasia, the Greek port where ships were loaded with wines produced in Crete (Candia) for export to the Venetian Republic. Usually these wines were blends made with partially sun-dried grapes.

In 1500 the Turks conquered Crete thus jeopardizing the flourishing commerce of Venetian merchants, so they started to promote the cultivation of the different grapes that made up this wine along the main routes to the Republic. Meanwhile, the name Malvagia and later Malvasia was used to indicate any wine produced with partially dried grapes  (that’s the reason we now have more than 17 different varieties of Malvasia). The variety with the strongest personality, the Aromatic Malvasia of Candia, found  the clay soils and mild climate it needed for the perfect ripening of its golden bunches on the hills of Parma e Piacenza. Today it is the most widespread white grape in these two provinces. 

Malvasia today
A glass of sparkling Malvasia is the ideal “accomplice” for a light aperitif on the beach. A delicate selection of fried snacks will match perfectly with this wine arrived from the sea long ago. Still Malvasia pairs with a meal featuring delicate dishes. Semi-sparkling, sweet Malvasia and Malvasia passito are great with ciambella, cream cakes and fruit tartes.