Also called Malvasia Puntinata, it is a very common variety in the Lazio region, especially in the Castelli Romani area. It can be considered as a native vine but, as any other Malvasia grape, it comes from the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The origin of the name, in fact, comes from the greek term Monemvasia, indicating a Byzantine stronghold connected to the mainland by a single road. Venetian merchants, appreciating the sweet wines from that area, named it after the town where they bought them (mangling the pronunciation). In the late nineteenth century, probably the Genoese, who often traded with the Venetians, brought in Lazio this grape variety. After the large initial spread, the cultivation of Malvasia in Lazio suffered a decise contraction in the last decades of the twentieth century, to be replaced by Malvasia di Candia, more productive, although in recent years the old variety for the production of high quality wines is beign rediscovering: a very delicate grape, with medium-large leaves and clusters, with rounded yellowish grapes and typical brown dots on the peel.
The wine presents itself with a golden-yellow color with streak ranging from gold to green. At...
