Italian wine and grape guide : Malvasia Nera di Basilicata

The grape Malvasia Nera di Basilicata, like other Malvasia grapes, belongs to the family whose name Malvasia comes from a variation of Monembasia, a Byzantine stronghold rooted on the rocks of a promontory situated in the south of the Peloponnese, where sweet wines were produced and then exported throughout Europe by the Venetians with the name of Monemvasia. The wine made from this variety had become extremely popular, so much that Venice was full of taverns named Malvase, designed for its consumption. An old document quoted “malvaticus” wine, Malvasia with black berries, produced in Cyprus and also marketed in southern Italy. Malvasia Nera of Basilicata is believed to have arrived in Basilicata from Puglia. It has many features in common with the Malvasia Nera di Brindisi. Black berry of Malvasia nera di Basilicata is small and oval with thick, consistent black-blue color skin. The cluster is medium-small, cylindrical, medium compact with medium-small, pentagonal leaf. The Malvasia Nera di Basilicata black grape gives a ruby red wine, fairly tannic. Rarely vinified alone, it is used in blends with other varieties and also in the production of rosé.