The white grape variety is a new variety between Vital x Uva Cão. Synonyms are Malvasia, Malvasia B de S. Jorge, Malvasia Branca de S Jorge, Malvasia de São Jorge and Malvazia. It is one of the many varieties with the name part Malvasia. It was crossed in Portugal by the breeder José Leão Ferreira de Almeida at the National Research Centre near Lisbon. It was introduced to the island of Madeira in the 1970s and mainly cultivated in the eponymous municipality of São Jorge in the Santana district on the north coast. The high-yielding vine is very susceptible to botrytis. It yields white wines with high acidity, which are mainly used for the Madeira variety Malmsey. In 2016, 110 hectares of vines were reported (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
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