A Malmsey Madeira made from the white Malvasia Candida grape.

; Malvasia Candida

One notable exception is the variety known as Malvasia di Candia which is a distinctly different sub-variety of Malvasia.

Most of the Boal grown on Madeira is more fully known as Boal Cachudo ( a synonym for the Spanish variety Doña Blanca, though the two may be different grapes ), which has been shown by DNA profiling to be identical to the Malvasia Fina grown in the Douro valley.

The four major grape varieties used for Medeira production are ( from sweetest to driest ) Malvasia, Bual, Verdelho, and Sercial.

The grape varieties destined for sweeter wines – Boal and Malvasia – are often fermented on their skins to leach more phenols from the grapes to balance the sweetness of the wine.

Like other Madeiras made from the noble grape varieties, the Malvasia grape used in Malmsey production has naturally high levels of acidity in the wine, which balances with the high sugar levels so the wines do not taste cloyingly sweet.

In the past, the names Malvasia, Malvazia, and Malmsey have been used interchangeably for Malvasia-based wines ; however, in modern oenology, " Malmsey " is now used almost exclusively for a sweet variety of Madeira wine made from the Malvasia grape.

The name " Malvasia " is generally thought to derive from Monemvasia, a Venetian fortress on the coast of Laconia, known in Italian as " Malvasia "; this port would have acted as a trading center for wine produced in the eastern Peloponnese and perhaps in some of the Cyclades.

In western Europe, a common variety of Malvasia is known as Malvasia Bianca di Candia ( white malmsey of Crete ), from its reputed origin in that area.

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.

Today only a few dedicated producers are still making these Malvasia dessert wines from local varieties including the Malvasia di Grottaferrata in Lazio, Malvasia di Bosa and Malvasia di Planurgia in Sardinia.

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.

Most varieties of Malvasia are derived from Malvasia Bianca which is characterized by its deep color, noted aromas and the presence of some residual sugar.

Presently, however, " Malvasia " generally refers to unfortified white table or dessert wines produced from this grape, while " Malmsey " refers to a sweet variety of Madeira wine, though the latter are also sometimes called " Malvasia " or " Malvazia ".

Even further confusion results from the fact that vintage-dated Malmseys are often labeled " Malvasia " or " Malvazia ", probably because the relatively rare vintage Malvasias were always made with Malvasia grapes even when most non-vintage " Malmsey " was being made from lesser varieties.

Prior to Ricasoli, Canaiolo was emerging as the dominant variety in the Chianti blend with Sangiovese and Malvasia playing supporting roles.

Malvasia ( also known as Malmsey or Malvazia ) grape variety.

DNA analysis does, however, suggest that the Athiri wine grape ( a variety widely planted throughout Greece ) is ancestral to Malvasia.

While most varieties of Malvasia produce white wine, Malvasia Nera is a red wine variety that is used primarily as a blending grape in Italy, being valued for the dark color and aromatic qualities it can add to a wine.

Malvasia Corada is a synonym used in the Douro for an obscure white wine grape variety known as Vital that may or may not be related to true Malvasia.

* Malvasia ( also known as Malmsey or Malvazia ) has its fermentation halted when its sugars are between 3. 5 and 6. 5 ° Baumé.

Malvasia (, also known as Malvazia ) is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world.

During the Middle Ages, the Venetians became so prolific in the trading of " Malvasia wine " that merchant wine shops in Venice were known as malvasie.

Malvasia Istriana is also found in the Colli Piacentini region of Emilia where it is used to make sparkling wine known locally as champagnino or " little Champagne ".

In Portugal, there are no fewer than 12 varieties known as " Malvasia " which may or may not be related to true Malvasia.

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 ).

The various varieties of Malvasia are known under a wide range of synonyms including Malvasier in Germany, Malvazija and Malvazia in Eastern Europe.

Bobbio is located at the foot of Ligurian Apennines, in the territory known as Colli Piacentini, near DOC for the production of typical wines such as Gutturnio, Trebbianino Trebbia Val, Barbera, Bonarda, Ortrugo, Malvasia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot ( other: Riesling, Dolcetto, Muscat and Merlot ).

An Italian study published in 2008 using DNA typing showed a close genetic relationship between Garganega on the one hand and seven other Italian grape varieties on the other hand: Albana, Catarratto, Empibotte, Greco Bianco del Pollino, Malvasia di Candia a Sapore Semplice, Marzemina Bianca, and Trebbiano Toscano ( also known as Ugni Blanc ).

Garganega is also known under the synonyms D ' Oro, Decanico, Dorana di Venetia, Garganega Comune, Garganega di Gambellara, Garganega Gentile, Garganega Grossa, Garganega Piramidale, Garganega Veronese, Gracanico Dorato, Grecani, Grecanico, Grecanico Bianco, Grecanico Dorato, Grecanicu Biancu, Grecanio, Greccanico, Lizzara, Malvasia de Manresa, Ora, Oro, Ostesa, Ostesona, and Recanicu.

In 1967, the Denominazione di origine controllata ( DOC ) regulation set by the Italian government firmly established the " Ricasoli formula " of a Sangiovese-based blend with 10-30 % Malvasia and Trebbiano.

Grape varieties in this family include Malvasia Bianca, Malvasia di Schierano, Malvasia Negra, Malvasia Nera, Malvasia Nera di Brindisi and a number of other varieties.

; Malvasia di Grottaferrata, Malvasia di Bosa, Malvasia di Planurgia

; 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.

The white wines are composed of a minimum blend of 50 % Trebbiano, Romagnolo and Giallo, a maximum of 35 % Malvasia di Candia and a maximum of 15 % Friulano, Verdicchio, Bellone and Bombino Bianco.

In recent times, Cabernet Sauvignon has been supplanting Malvasia Nera in Tuscany in both planting and in use as a blending partner with Sangiovese.

Malvasia is golden in colour and has an intense, delicately sweet bouquet.

Since 2006, the use of white grape varieties such as Malvasia and Trebbiano have been prohibited in Chianti Classico.

In the past, the names " Malvasia " and " Malmsey " have been used interchangeably.