Malvasia Nera

While most varieties of Malvasia produce white wine, Malvasia nera is a red wine variety that in Italy is used primarily as a blending grape, being valued for the dark color and aromatic qualities it can add to a wine. The Piedmont of that region is the only significant wine to make varietal Malvasia nera, with two DOC zones covering less than 250 acres (100 hectares): Malvasia di Casorzo and Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco. In the Apulian regions of Brindisi and Lecce it is blended with Negroamaro, while in the 1970s & 1980s, it was a frequent blending partner of Sangiovese in Tuscany. In recent times, Cabernet Sauvignon has been supplanting Malvasia nera in Tuscany in both planting and in use as a blending partner with Sangiovese. Other regions growing Malvasia nera include the Bolzano region of Alto Adige, Sardinia, Basilicata and Calabria. Malvasia nera wines are often noted for their rich chocolate notes with black plums and floral aromas.