Description
Malvasia is a white grape native to Sicilia and grown on volcanic soils in Malfa district of Salina, the highest quality growing area on the volcanic island. Lemon and sea salt, bright acidity; a flavorful reflection of this sea-inspired terroir.
From the importer:
The history of artisanal winemaking in the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily essentially begins with five Spanish families, one of which is Caravaglio. These noble pioneers were invited to travel to these wild, volcanic islands in the early 1500s to develop agriculture.
Thus for more than 500 years, the Caravaglios have cultivated wine grapes on Salina and Lipari, establishing early on the traditions and practices that would be followed for generations. Winemaker Antonino Caravaglio’s ancestors were certainly among the first to partner with Venetian traders bearing rootstock from Greece, planting the original Malvasia delle Lipari and Corinto Nero vines.
Few vine-growing regions in the world can claim such an unbroken chain of organic cultivation. Grapes on these wind-swept hills have always been cared for naturally, cleansed by the sea-salty air of the Mediterranean and protected by the island’s mineral soils, which also kept the phylloxera blight at bay.