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Malmsey

English corruption (also Malvesye) of the grape variety name Malvasia, which in turn derives from the ancient Greek port of Monemvasia (Peloponnese). The name initially served as a collective term for all sweet Greek dessert wines, but especially those from Crete (Candia). From the 15th century, there was also a great demand for it in England. Eventually, Malmsey became the name for the sweetest variety of Madeira, made from Malvasia. George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (1449-1478), the brother of the English King Edward IV (1442-1483), was sentenced to death for conspiratorial activity. According to legend, he was allowed to determine his manner of death as a last mercy and chose to be drowned in a cask of Malmsey; the picture shows such a wine vintage 1880 (see also under Oldest Wines).

Malmseyx - Flasche, Wappen, Georg Plantagenet

Malmsey 1880: By Frank Papenbroock, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
George Plantagenet: By Lucas Cornelisz de Kock, Public Domain, Link

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