Malvasia Bianca

Malvasia Bianca (White Malvasia) is a dominant member of the Malvasia family of grapes. It has been likened to Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.

Both varieties are the principal members of their extended clan, produced in a wide array of wine styles and both have distinctive grapey aromas. Malvasia Bianca is used to produce dry, sweet, sparkling and specialty wines.

There are numerous regional synonyms for Malvasia Bianca, reflecting the range of environments in which it is grown, such as California's Central Coast to the hillside vineyards of the Balkans. However, it is not yet grown to any commercial extent in the Southern Hemisphere.

Malvasia Bianca vines are of medium to high productivity and produce yellow-brown grapes with low to medium acidity. When vinified dry, the resulting wine can be very clean and crisp. However yields must be restricted to retain flavor concentration. Made in sweeter, or off dry styles, Malvasia Bianca shows ripe pear flavors backed by honey notes and a touch of spice.

In Sicily, Sardinia and the Aeolian Islands, Malvasia Bianca is commonly produced in the semi dried passito style. This is an involved procedure that intensifies the flavors of the grapes and changes the wine's color to more amber and golden tones.

In Chianti, Malvasia Bianca is blended with Trebbiano to produce Vin Santo. Malvasia Bianca is also grown in Croatia, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain and the USA.