Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In the past some experts believed it to be a bio-
type, or at least quite similar to Malvasia Bianca
Lunga and Malvasia Bianca di Candia, but
these three cultivars are distinct. Locals told me
that in the past Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata
was also blended into Aglianico wines to add
freshness, while today it is most often blended
with Moscato Bianco to make either dry or
sweet wines. Apparently, it is hardy and resis-
tant, though sensitive to potassium and magne-
sium defi ciencies, as well as oidium.
That Basilicata is viewed by everyone as
mainly red wine country is exemplifi ed by the
fact that if you want to taste wines made with
Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata, you'll have to
scavenge around the IGTs or Vino da Tavolas.
Following on the heels of the Cantina di
Venosa, Eleano, a small family-run winery, is
now also making a Malvasia Bianca di Basili-
cata wine from extremely old vines. The wine
tastes of slightly herbal aromas and fl avors,
with hints of dried apricot and peach, and does
have a properly spicy, aromatic nose. The fl inty
fi nish will remind you of its volcanic origins.
This is a big wine, usually sporting 14 percent
alcohol, and can easily stand up to white meat
dishes. Cantina di Venosa's version is not as
delicately aromatic as I think the wine ought to
be, and what's more, it's oak-aged—though I
understand that since Cantina di Venosa
already has one aromatic wine in portfolio, the
extremely successful Dry Muscat, another
might have been too much. The Cantina del
Vulture (the former Cantina Viticultori Asso-
ciati del Vulture) makes a very similar wine
called Novalba. At the very least, these two add
to the mix of wines made with a grape variety
that had been forgotten. I would still like to see
more of an aromatic quality to both these
wines, if only a delicate one. Perhaps it's just a
matter of yields. I have been made to taste other
Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata wines over the
years, but as they didn't taste anything like I
thought they should, perhaps mistakenly, I
have never pursued them further. Last but not
least, Cantine del Notaio, the world-class
Aglianico producer, makes a great sweet wine
called l'Autentica, which is 30 percent Malvasia
Bianca di Basilicata, but the strong percentage
of Moscato Bianco causes the latter variety to
dominate the wine's aroma and fl avor profi le.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
In 2000, there was only one major wine made
mostly with Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata sold
commercially, Topazio by Consorzio Viticultori
Associati Vulture, simply labeled as a Basilicata
Bianco. If memory serves me correctly, I
remember tasting a few other wines that were
said to be mainly or wholly made with this vari-
ety by other producers, but none reminded me
of what a wine made mainly with the variety
should have tasted like—for one, they ought to
have been aromatic wines, and weren't. So just
as I had done previously with Lazio producers, I
began talking with those in the Vulture willing
to listen, pointing out that it might be worth-
while to bring back their local variety, which
historically had been found to have excellent
winemaking potential. The problem was that
Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata had been reduced
to only a few scattered vines mixed in with other
vines in often abandoned sites. Mercifully, the
people at the Cantina Sociale di Venosa, a for-
ward-thinking social cooperative led by wine-
maker Luigi Cantatore, were interested in the
idea, and initiated a Malvasia Bianca di Basili-
cata recovery program. With over fi ve hundred
members scouring their vineyards, it was likely
they'd succeed in producing a Malvasia Bianca
di Basilicata wine again, and so D'Avalos was
born with the 2005 vintage (its full name is
D'Avalos di Gesualdo, but everyone uses the
shorter name), a new, reportedly monovarietal
Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata wine made in
commercially signifi cant numbers, so that peo-
ple everywhere might try it.
wines to try:
Eleano**, Cantina di Venosa*
(D'Avalos di Gesualdo Malvasia), Cantina
del Vulture* (Novalba), and Cantina del
Notaio (l'Autentica, the best wine of the bunch,
but only 30 percent Malvasia Bianca di
Basilicata).
