This article is about a delicious fruity grape varietal Malvasia Bianca (pronounced Mal-va-ZEE-ah Bee-AHN-Kah), again originating in Italy. Malvasia is natively the same as the more commonly known Muscat Canelli or Muscat Blanc grape. Styles of this wine can vary from delocate to full-flavored, dry to sweet, high to low alcohol. It is sometimes made as a sparkling wine.
In this article we will talk about one of these fresh new emerging Italian varietals witnin the Temecula Valley Wine Country. Malvasia Bianca is representative of an ancient, highly esteemed Greek family of grapes vinified in a myriad of styles throughout Italy. Malvasia Bianca is one of the most widely harvested, light-colored grape varieties in Italy and throughout the world. On the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, it makes exceptional, rich and wonderfully aromatic passito wines.
Choose sweet or dry, Malvasia Bianca produces wonderful bouquets and tastes of honey and ripe Bosc pears with traces of allspice. Round, lushly fruity tastes and a rich texture lead to a completion that is decided by the degree of lingering sugar and the cellar treatment. The lighter versions offer a clean, crisp ending, while those matured in small barrels may show light tannins with a hint of vanilla. Sweetened, more rich versions linger on the palate. Team together Malvasia Bianca with pork, rich cheeses or all by itself. Other great food pairings with this wine can be Seafood antipasta dishes (shrimp, scallops, and calamari dressed with oil and lemon) and grilled vegetables for the lighter wines. Grilled fish with light provencal-style sauces pairs well with the fuller wines. The dessert wines need only a simple almond biscotti (no chocolate please) to dunk in the wine, original Sicilian cannoli or an apricot or plum tart with a marzipan pastry crust.
Malvasia is harvested throughout Italy and throughout the world. It growns best where it gets good exposure to the sun and where the soil drains well. Unlike the dessert wine variations, Malvasia wines do not age well and should be drank quickly.
In Temecula Valley, Malvasia Bianca is accessible as a 2% Residual Sugar (quantity of sweetness left in the wine prior to fermentation is halted) at Cougar Vineyard & Winery which is located at 39870 De Portola Road. Cougar Vineyard winery resides on the De Portola Wine Trail of Temecula Wine Country. It also has three year old vines harvested on the winery property in Temecula Wine Country. Weins Family Cellars has a similar styled Malvasia Bianca. Weins is situated at 35055 Via Del Ponte off of Rancho California Road also in Temecula Wine Country.
Cougar Vineyard & Winery is harvested in entirely Italian varietals with 2,000 of the 8,500 vines being Malvasia Bianca. Cougar will be talking about all of these additional varietals being harvested by Cougar in upcoming articles regarding the Italian grape varietals harvested in Temecula Wine Country of Southern California.
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