Editing Malvasia (section)

==Grape varieties and wine regions==
Most varieties of Malvasia are closely related to Malvasia bianca. One notable exception is the variety known as '''Malvasia di Candia''' which is a distinctly different sub-variety of Malvasia. Malvasia bianca is grown widely throughout the world in places like Italy; [[Sitges]] in [[Catalonia]], with the renowned variety Malvasia de Sitges; the [[San Joaquin Valley]] of California; or the Greek Islands of [[Paros]] and [[Syros]].<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> Throughout [[Central Italy]], Malvasia is often blended with [[Trebbiano]] to add flavor and texture to the wine. In Rioja, it performs a similar function when blended with [[Viura]].<ref name="Clarke pp. 120-122">Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'', pp. 120–122. Harcourt Books 2001 {{ISBN|0-15-100714-4}}.</ref>

=== Catalan variety ===
==== Malvasia de Sitges ====
With recorded presence in Catalonia since early 14th century. Legend has it that a soldier from the [[Almogavars|Almogàvers]] fleet commanded by [[Roger de Flor]] brought a stem of malvasia from the [[eastern Mediterranean]]. But the [[Chronicle of Muntaner|''Chronicle'']] (1325) by [[Ramon Muntaner]] acknowledges its name, value and origin.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-18 |title=La malvasia de Sitges i la seva increïble història de supervivència |url=https://www.elnacional.cat/ca/gourmeteria/vins/malvasia-sitges-3-vins_629321_102.html |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=ElNacional.cat |language=ca}}</ref> It was widely grown and exported since medieval times until the advent of [[phylloxera]]. Being prone to [[mildew]] and other attacks, its cultivation now is much diminished, but the wines produced with it are still highly appreciated globally.

This variety is now only grown in the countryside of [[Sitges]] and its surroundings. The grape must, once fermented, gives way to a fragrant, sweet drink with a high alcohol content which is usually drunk after celebrations and after the ''[[Xató|xatonadas]]''. Nevertheless, it is also used in the preparation of various meat dishes, such as duck breast with raisins or pig's trotters. Its unusual bouquet is the result of various factors: proximity to the sea, a late harvest and the considerable alcohol content and acidity of the wine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sitges Malvasia wine |url=https://www.catalunya.com/sitges-malvasia-wine-23-1-10126?language=en |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=www.catalunya.com}}</ref>

Malvasia de Sitges is an authorised vine variety in the [[Protected designation of origin|DOPs]] of [[Penedès (DO)|Penedès]] and [[Catalunya (DO)|Catalunya]].<ref name="Wine Grapes">J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz: ''Wine Grapes – A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours'' {{ISBN|978-1-846-14446-2}}.</ref>

===Croatian varieties===
[[File:Malvazija istarska.jpg|right|thumb|Bottles of Malvazija istarska (Istrian Malvasia) quality wine]]

; Malvazija Istarska

Malvazija Istarska got the name after peninsula of [[Istria]] shared between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy (see also Slovene and Italian varieties). It represents one of the main white wines of [[Croatian wine#Coastal Croatia|Croatian Istria and the north Dalmatian coast]]. The vine was introduced to the area by Venetian merchants who brought [[cuttings (vine)|cuttings]] from Greece.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> The malvasia is called ''malvazija'' in [[Croatian language|Croatian]]. It is the main white wine in the region.

; Other

The Dalmatian ''[[Maraština]]'' (also known as ''Rukatac'' etc.) is identical to the Italian variety ''Malvasia Lunga''.

===Italian varieties===
; Malvasia Bianca di Candia
Malvasia Bianca di Candia is Italy's most widely planted Malvasia. 

; Malvasia Istriana
In Italy this wine is grown in the [[Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine|Friuli-Venezia Giulia]] region in [[Collio DOC]] and [[Isonzo DOC]]. The name comes from the [[Istria]] peninsula, which takes in parts of Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy (see also Croatian and Slovene varieties). The vine was introduced into the area by Venetian merchants who brought [[cuttings (plant)|cuttings]] from Greece. Malvasia Istriana is also found in the [[Colli Piacentini]] region of [[Emilia-Romagna|Emilia]], where it is used to make [[sparkling wine]] known locally as ''champagnino'' or "little [[Champagne (wine)|Champagne]]".<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/>

; Malvasia di Grottaferrata, Malvasia di Bosa, Malvasia di Planargia
In the 19th century and early 20th century, sweet ''[[passito]]'' style dessert wines made from the Malvasia grape were held in high esteem and considered among Italy's finest wines. Following the [[World War II|Second World War]], lack of interest in the consumer market led to a sharp decline in plantings, with many varieties going to the verge of extinction. Today only a few dedicated producers are still making these Malvasia dessert wines from local varieties including the Malvasia di Grottaferrata in [[Lazio]] and the Malvasia di Bosa and Malvasia di Planargia in [[Sardinia]].<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/>

[[File:Vinsantaia.jpg|left|thumb|Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes going through the drying process to produce [[Vin Santo]]]]

; Malvasia delle Lipari
Since the 1980s, dessert wines made from the Malvasia delle Lipari variety has seen a resurgence in interest on the [[volcanic]] [[Aeolian Islands]] off the north east coast of Sicily. With distinctive [[orange (fruit)|orange]] notes, this Sicilian wine saw its peak of popularity just before the [[phylloxera epidemic]], when more than 2.6 million gallons (100,000 [[hectoliters]]) were produced annually.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/>

; {{Not a typo|Malvasia nera}}
While most varieties of Malvasia produce white wine, {{not a typo|Malvasia nera}} is a red wine variety that in Italy is used primarily as a blending grape, being valued for the dark color and aromatic qualities it can add to a wine. [[Piedmont (wine)|Piedmont]] is the only significant region to make this varietal {{not a typo|Malvasia nera}}, with two DOC zones covering less than 250 acres (100 hectares): Malvasia di Casorzo and [[Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco]]. In the [[Apulia]]n regions of [[Brindisi]] and [[Lecce]] it is blended with [[Negroamaro]], while in the 1970s & 1980s, it was a frequent blending partner of [[Sangiovese]] in [[Tuscany (wine)|Tuscany]]. In recent times, [[Cabernet Sauvignon]] has been supplanting {{not a typo|Malvasia nera}} in Tuscany in both planting and in use as a blending partner with Sangiovese.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> Other regions growing {{not a typo|Malvasia nera}} include the [[Bolzano]] region of [[Alto Adige (wine)|Alto Adige]], Sardinia, [[Basilicata]] and [[Calabria (wine)|Calabria]]. {{not a typo|Malvasia nera}} wines are often noted for their rich chocolate notes with [[black plum]]s and floral aromas.<ref name="Clarke pp. 120-122"/>

; Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia Puntinata, Malvasia di Lazio
The [[Lazio]] region of [[Frascati]] is the source of the majority of plantings of Malvasia di Candia, a distinct sub-variety of Malvasia that is not part of the Malvasia bianca branch of the grape family. It is most often used for blending with the related Malvasia Puntinata and Malvasia di Lazio being more highly prized due to their higher [[acidity (wine)|acidity]] and tendency to produce less flabby wines.<ref name="Clarke pp. 120-122"/>

===Portuguese varieties===
[[File:Aged white wine with brown color.jpg|right|thumb|A Malmsey Madeira made from the white Malvasia Candida grape. The dark color comes from the aging process.]]

In [[Portugal (wine)|Portugal]], there are no fewer than 12 varieties known as "Malvasia". They may or may not be related to true Malvasia.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> 

; Malvasia Fina
In 2004, there was nearly 18,533 acres (7500 ha) of Malvasia Fina grown in Portugal where it is also known as Boal (though it is most likely not related to the grape [[Bual]] which is used to produce the Boal style of Madeira). Malvasia Fina is found in the [[Douro (wine)|Douro]] where it is a permitted grape in the production of white [[Port (wine)|Port]]. It is also found in the [[Tejo VR|Tejo]] and the [[Dão DOC]] where it is grown on vineyard land located at high elevations.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> 

; Malvasia Candida
Malvasia Candida (different from the variety known as Malvasia di Candia) has been historically grown on the island of Madeira being used to produce the sweetest style of Madeira wine known [[Malmsey]].<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/>

; Malvasia Rei
Malvasia Rei is believed to be the [[Palomino (grape)|Palomino]] grown in [[Spain (wine)|Spain]] for [[Sherry]] production which may be related to the Malvasia family. In Portugal, Malvasia Rei is grown in the Douro, [[Beiras (VR)|Beiras]] and [[Lisboa (VR)|Lisboa]] region.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> 

; Malvasia Corada
Malvasia Corada is a [[synonym]] used in the Douro for an obscure white wine grape variety known as [[Vital (grape)|Vital]] that may or may not be related to true Malvasia.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> 

; Malvasia da Trincheira
Malvasia da Trincheira is a synonym used in the Douro for the white Port grape [[Folgasão]] that may or may not be related to true Malvasia.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/>

===Slovene variety===
; Istrska Malvazija or simply Malvazija
: (Italian Malvasia Istriana and Croatian Malvazija Istarska)

In [[Slovenian Istria]] the malvasia grape is grown in Koper area, especially on [[Debeli Rtič]], [[Škocjan, Koper|Škocjan]], Kortina and [[Labor, Slovenia|Labor]]. It is also grown in Italy and Croatia (see Italian and Croatian varieties). The vine was introduced to the area in the 14th century by Venetian merchants who brought [[cuttings (plant)|cuttings]] from Greece.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> Over matured grapes give a dessert wine with non-fermented sugars and high alcohol level (around 12%) called ''sweet malvasia'' (Slovene and Croatian: sladka/slatka malvazija).<ref name="ctbbuje">[http://croatia.hr/en-GB/Destinations/Town/Buje/Oenology?Y2lcOTQyLGRzXDIzMCxwXDI0 Croatian Tourist Board – Buje oneology], accessed 7 February 2011.</ref>

===Spanish varieties===
In Spain the Malvasía name is a synonym for [[Alarije]], a white grape variety from [[Extremadura]], south-west Spain, but this variety is genetically distinct from the true Malvasias of Malvasi di Lipari (under the Spanish name Malvasía Rosada) and Malvasía de Lanzarote grown in Canary Islands. Malvasía de Lanzarote is a white variety from the Canary Islands, that may be a natural cross between Mavasi di Lipari and Marmajuelo.<ref name="Wine Grapes" />

; Malvasía Rosada 
Malvasía Rosada is a red grape variety that is a colour mutation of Malvasi di Lipari / Malvasía de Sitges, and grown on the Canary Islands.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Troll |first1=Valentin R. |last2=Carracedo |first2=Juan Carlos |last3=Jägerup |first3=Beatrice |last4=Streng |first4=Michael |last5=Barker |first5=Abigail K. |last6=Deegan |first6=Frances M. |last7=Perez-Torrado |first7=Francisco |last8=Rodriguez-Gonzalez |first8=Alejandro |last9=Geiger |first9=Harri |date=2017 |title=Volcanic particles in agriculture and gardening |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gto.12193 |journal=Geology Today |language=en |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=148–154 |doi=10.1111/gto.12193 |bibcode=2017GeolT..33..148T |s2cid=133877260 |issn=1365-2451}}</ref>

; Malvasia Fina
The name Malvasia Fina is for a Portuguese variety that goes under the synonyms Gual and Torrontés in Spain.

===Common synonyms===
The various varieties of Malvasia are known under a wide range of synonyms including Malvasier in [[Germany (wine)|Germany]], Malvazija and Malvazia in [[Istria]]. Despite its similar-sounding name, the French grape varieties (it is a widely used synonym) referred to variously as "[[Malvoisie]]" are not related to Malvasia. The one possible exception may be the Malvoisie of [[Corsica (wine)|Corsica]] that ampelographers believe is actually the [[Vermentino]] grape that may be related to Malvasia.<ref name="Oxford pp. 423-424"/> Other synonyms for the various sub-varieties of Malvasia include Uva Greca, Rojal, Subirat, Blanquirroja, Blancarroga, Tobia, Cagazal and Blanca-Rioja.<ref name="Jancis p. 196">Robinson, Jancis ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'', p. 196. Mitchell Beazley 1986 {{ISBN|1-85732-999-6}}.</ref>