Italian Varietals in the Temecula Valley, The Malvasia Bianca Grape - By: vlcarticle

This article is about a delicious fruity grape varietal Malvasia Bianca (pronounced Mal-va-ZEE-ah Bee-AHN-Kah), once more originating in Italy. Malvasia is natively identical to the more well known Muscat Canelli or Muscat Blanc grape. Characteristics of this wine can alter from lightweight to full-flavored, dry to sweet, low to high alcohol. It is sometimes made as a sparkling wine.

In this article we will discuss one of these newly appearing Italian varietals witnin the Temecula Valley Wine Country. Malvasia Bianca is a member of an age-old, highly admired Greek family of grapes vinified in a myriad of styles throughout Italy. Malvasia Bianca is widely harvested, light-colored grape varieties within Italy and throughout the world. Here on the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, it produces exceptional, rich and beautifully aromatic passito wines.

Whether sweet or dry, Malvasia Bianca offers delightful aromas and flavors of honey and ripe Bosc pears with hints of allspice. Round, lushly fruity flavors and a rich texture lead to a finish that is determined by the degree of residual sugar and the cellar treatment. The lighter versions offer a delicate, crisp ending, while those matured in petite barrels may show light tannins and 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 interesting food pairings with this wine are Seafood antipasta dishes (shrimp, scallops, and calamari dressed with oil and lemon) and wonderful grilled vegetables for the lighter wines. Grilled fish accompanying light provencal-style sauces teams up well with the fuller wines. The sweeter wines require only a delicate almond biscotti (no chocolate please) to dip in the wine, real 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 it drains well. Unlike the dessert wine variations, Malvasia wines do not age well and should be consumed soon.

In Temecula Valley, Malvasia Bianca is accessible as a 2% Residual Sugar (quantity of sweetness remaining in the wine after fermentation is stopped) at Cougar Vineyard & Winery which is located at 39870 De Portola Road. This winery resides on the De Portola Wine Trail of Temecula Wine Country. Cougar Vineyard & Winery 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 located at 35055 Via Del Ponte off of Rancho California Road also in Temecula Wine Country.

Cougar Vineyard & Winery is harvested in complete Italian varietals within 2,000 of the 8,500 vineyards compiling Malvasia Bianca. We will be talking about all of these additional varietals being harvested by Cougar in upcoming articles about the Italian grape varietals harvested in theTemecula Wine Country of Southern California.

About the Author

Rick Buffington is the CEO of Cougar Temecula Winery. This small boutique is a favorite stop for Temecula Wine Tasting. Next time you visit the Temecula wineries, check out Cougar Winery. Our web address is http://CougarVineyards.com and phone number is (951) 303-3969.

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