«No other wine gained such fame during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and no other wine since then had such an interesting story».
Stavroula Kourakou
In 1214, the bishop of Ephesus, Nicholas Mesaritis, mentioned that “Monemvasios” wine, famous for its quality, was offered in great quantity at the imperial table in Latin-ruled Constantinople.
In 1278, a Venetian document refers to the piracy of a ship with a load of Malvasia wine. Moreover, in 1301, the Chrysobulus of Andronikos II Palaiologos refers to vineyards in the region of Monemvasia.
In 1214, the bishop of Ephesus, Nicholas Mesaritis, mentioned that “Monemvasios” wine, famous for its quality, was offered in great quantity at the imperial table in Latin-ruled Constantinople.
In 1278, a Venetian document refers to the piracy of a ship with a load of Malvasia wine. Moreover, in 1301, the Chrysobulus of Andronikos II Palaiologos refers to vineyards in the region of Monemvasia.
In the vineyards on the hillsides of Parnonas (Malevos), a local variety of grapes was cultivated, from which a sweet smooth wine from sunny grapes, “Monemvasion” or “Monemvasiotis” or “Monemvasia”, was produced.
Due to significant commercial expansion during the Byzantine period, the Monemvasians traders marketed the wine of Monemvasia, which Venetian and Genoese merchants sold under the name ‘Malvasia’.
n the 14th century it was exported in large quantities from Monemvasia through the islands of Paros/Cyclades and Crete (Candia).
According to Mrs. Stavroula Kourakou, former President of the OIV – International Organization of Vine and Wine, “The domination of the Greek wine Monemvasia-Malvasia in the markets of the East and West lasted for five centuries. Its production started before the 13th century in Byzantine Monemvasia … No other wine gained so much fame during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and no other name of wine from that time to the present has such an interesting history…“
French merchants sold it as “Malvoisie”, while in England it was known as “Malmsey”.
The occupation of Monemvasia by the Ottomans had the consequence of destroying the vineyards and the production there. Malvasia’s journey continued in Venetian-occupied Crete until the middle of the 17th century. During that period, he travelled to all the markets of the East and West.
Malvasia wine was exported to all the ports of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, even to the most exclusive markets of Europe.
The occupation of Monemvasia by the Ottomans had the consequence of destroying the vineyards and the production there. Malvasia’s journey continued in Venetian-occupied Crete until the middle of the 17th century. During that period, he travelled to all the markets of the East and West.
Malvasia wine was exported to all the ports of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, even to the most exclusive markets of Europe.
The reputation of the Malvasia wine is reflected in many references by important personalities of culture and art.
In the play “Richard the Third” (1595) by William Shakespeare, the Duke of Clarence is murdered and drowned “in a Malvasia barrel” (Malmsey butt). Leonardo da Vinci had his own small vineyard of Malvasia in Milan, the Nobel-winning writer Thomas Mann brings two bottles of Malvasia from the cellar in his work “Buddenbrooks”,
Martin Luther, Alexandre Dumas and Guy de Maupasant often refer to Malvasia, Giuseppe Garibaldi grew Malvasia in Carpera, Sardinia, while the composer Giuseppe Verdi was a good friend of the Malvasia wine.
Malvasia grapes are cultivated in various types. The Malvasia wine production is expanded outside the Mediterranean and Europe (Croatia, Italy, Spain, Portugal), to countries such as the USA (California, Arizona, New Mexico), Argentina, Brazil and Australia.