Μονεμβασία- Malvasia (Monemvasia - Malvasia)
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Sandy-clay to clay-loam soils, acidic to neutral, free of calcium carbonate — both soil types yield high acidity levels.
- Coastal climate with annual rainfall of 400–470 mm, a mean maximum temperature of 23 °C and a mean minimum of 14 °C.
- Strong wind exposure and exceptionally high sunshine hours, owing to the geographic position on the Malea peninsula.
- Bounded to the northeast by the Myrtoan Sea and to the southwest by the Laconian Gulf.
Human factors
- The name Malvasia appears in Italian sources from the 12th century onwards as a geographic designation for Monemvasia.
- In 1278, the Venetian Stefano Bonus was trading vinum de Malvasia from the port of Monemvasia; production is documented to predate the 13th century.
Product characteristics
- A sun-dried sweet wine with rich residual sugars, high acidity and well-documented aromatic precursor compounds — well suited to extended ageing.
- The soils — acidic to neutral and free of calcium carbonate — give rise to high to satisfactory acidity levels that are clearly expressed in the sensory profile.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- National product specification (PDF) — ypaat
- eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-GR-A1533
- Official trade body site — Monemvasia Winery (Tsimbidi)