Within the large family of white grape varieties, the Malvasia Istriana stands out for its ability to create non-aromatic enological expressions of finesse, elegance and complexity. Originally from Greece, the vine was brought to Italy by the Venetians before the 14th century, when, from the historic region of Peloponnese, it began to spread throughout the northern Adriatic territory including Istria, Karst, Collio and Isonzo. It is currently cultivated throughout the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and in the Slovenian Collio area. While it is conventionally used for the production of white wines, especially those with a fresh, fruity and delicate character, some good winemakers have maximised its potential, offering structured, full-bodied and very expressive interpretations, often using long maceration on the skins and ageing in oak barrels. This results in high quality wines, which are true jewels of the Friuli and Slovenian lands.
Within the large family of white grape varieties, the Malvasia Istriana stands out for its ability to create non-aromatic enological expressions of finesse, elegance and complexity. Originally from Greece, the vine was brought to Italy by the Venetians before the 14th century, when, from the historic region of Peloponnese, it began to spread throughout the northern Adriatic territory including Istria, Karst, Collio and Isonzo. It is currently cultivated throughout the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and in the Slovenian Collio area. While it is conventionally used for the production of white wines, especially those with a fresh, fruity and delicate character, some good winemakers have maximised its potential, offering structured, full-bodied and very expressive interpretations, often using long maceration on the skins and ageing in oak barrels. This results in high quality wines, which are true jewels of the Friuli and Slovenian lands.
The origin of the vine is very old and dates back to Greek times. In fact, it is likely that its name derives from the name of the stronghold of Monemvasia, founded in 588 B.C. and located in the Peloponnese region. Evidence has also been found that seems to confirm the presence of this semi-aromatic variety in the production of the sweet wines of Crete.
The success and fame of this type of grape gradually increased over the following centuries until the 13th century, when traders from the Republic of Venice exported it to their lands, including present-day Istria, where it was so successful that it was often interpreted as an indigenous variety and identified as Malvasia of Istria.
During the 20th century, the famous winemaker Giovanni Dalmasso helped to discover the first traces of this grape variety and to clarify its origins. It was then determined that the first areas of diffusion were the Venetian territory of Rovigo, the Croatian areas of Porec and Novigrad, and later the Karst and Isonzo.
Today it is widespread throughout the hills and coastline of Friuli Venezia Giulia and partly in Veneto, in the provinces of Padua and Verona. In Friuli it is used either as a single variety or in blends, contributing to the definition of various standards, including Carso DOC, Collio DOC, Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC, Friuli Isonzo DOC and Venezia Giulia IGT.
The Malvasia Istria grape bunch has an elongated shape with minimal winging. It is medium-sized and the berries are spherical and regular, with a pruinose, consistent and fairly thick skin. It is not an aromatic variety, as is the case with other varieties in the same family, but it does have an important array of aromas and fragrances.
While this grape is certainly indigenous to the islands of the Mediterranean and has demonstrated its ability to grow and develop in very different areas, it has shown excellent results in the soils of Collio, Karst, Istria and other neighbouring areas, as in the case of Malvasia Istriana Croatia, which is an important example.
This wine is not easy to make and not all the producers who have tried have succeeded in producing high-level versions. In the worst cases, light, fresh and drinkable versions have been produced, with a low alcohol content. In recent years, however, a brilliant group of winemakers in the Friuli and Slovenian hills has succeeded in creating interpretations of great personality and elegance, considered among the highest levels of quality in the area.
The plentiful examples of the best Malvasia Istriana are full-bodied, soft, enveloping and aromatically complex expressions. They have an intense colour tending towards golden and a consistent glyceric mass. The aromas evoke ripe yellow or tropical fruit, citrus fruits and aromatic herbs, including sage. On the palate, it is full-bodied and structured, but with a vibrant freshness and rich, almost saline minerality. When aged in barriques, they can also have toasty aromatic traces and notes of sweet spices. They are often produced respecting ancient local traditions, such as maceration on the skins of the must, which contributes to making the character even more decisive, complex and unconventional.
Born from the limestone soils of the Karst, from the fluvial soils of the Isonzo, from the marls of the Collio Friulano or from Slovenian soils, Malvasia Istriana wine is always characterised by its decisive and bursting personality, rich in freshness and minerality. It should be served, in most cases, in tulip-shaped glasses of medium size at a temperature of about 8-10°C. In the case of very full-bodied wines, produced with maceration on the skins and with ageing in barriques, it would be advisable to uncork the bottle at least half an hour before serving, in order to allow proper oxygenation and to allow the aromatic bouquet to express itself to the fullest. In this case, the most appropriate serving temperature is 16°C.
It is ideal with tasty fish, including river and lake fish, smoked fish hors d'oeuvres, vegetable risottos, grilled fish or white meat. The best regional pairing is with San Daniele ham, but other regional specialities such as herb omelettes, cooked ham with horseradish sauce, barley and bean soups and potato strucolo are also perfect.
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