The white grape variety originates from Italy. Synonyms are Candia, Malvagia, Malvasia Aromatica di Candia, Malvasia Bianca Aromatica, Malvasia di Alessandria, Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia di Candia a Sapore Moscato and Malvasia di Candida. It is one of the many varieties with the name part Malvasia. Candia is an old name for the Greek island of Crete, but there is no genetic evidence for a presumed origin. However, it is still cultivated there today. According to DNA analyses carried out in 2020, it originates from a presumably natural cross between Malvasia Aromatica di Parma x unknown partner. A somatic mutation with reddish berries is the variety Malvasia Rosa.
The medium to late ripening vine is susceptible to downy mildew. The berries have a discreet muscat tone. It yields aromatic white wines and is also used as table grape. The variety is mainly cultivated in the Emilia-Romagna region and is permitted there in the DOC wines Colli di Parma, Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa and Colli Piacentini. There are other stocks in Lombardy, where it is found pure in the DOC wine Oltrepò Pavese, and in Campania in the DOC wine Sannio. The variety occupies 1,087 hectares in Italy. In Spain, it is cultivated on 121 hectares on the Balearic and Canary Islands and on the mainland in Aragon and Catalonia. Small populations are also said to exist in Greece. In 2016, a total of 1,208 hectares of vines were reported (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut(JKI)
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
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