Collection: Organic Malvasia Venezia Giulia

Malvasia is a family of grape varieties—not a single grape variety—comprising dozens of different types, spread throughout the Mediterranean since ancient times. The name probably derives from Monemvasia, a Greek port in the Peloponnese from which ships loaded with sweet wine departed for European markets in the Middle Ages. The Venetians, great wine traders, spread Malvasia throughout their commercial empire—from Veneto to Friuli, from Dalmatia to the Greek islands.

Malvasia Istriana, cultivated in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Istria, is a distinct variety from other Italian Malvasias: it is an aromatic but not excessively so grape, with a structure and freshness that make it versatile both as an aperitif wine and as an accompaniment to fish and seafood dishes.

Curiosity: Malvasia was for centuries the favorite wine of popes and kings of Europe. Shakespeare mentions it in several works—in Richard III, the Duke of Clarence is drowned in a barrel of Malvasia, a death considered almost a privilege at the time. Chaucer, Rabelais, and Boccaccio mention it as a symbol of luxury and pleasure.

In its organic version, Malvasia Venezia Giulia expresses elegance and freshness: straw yellow color with golden reflections, aromas of peach, apricot, orange blossoms, and a delicate aromatic note that never tires the palate. On the palate, it is soft, savory, with a freshness that invites a second sip. Pairings: seafood appetizers, sarde in saor, squid ink risotto, fresh cheeses, artisan cooked ham.