Common name or synonym (many names for one variety) and homonym (one name for many varieties) for many different, unrelated grape varieties, particularly in Italy, Spain and Portugal. They are available in the berry colours white, light green, grey, rosé, red, blue and black and also with different aromas, for example with and without muscatel. In summary, the grape varieties with "Malvasia" in their name have a genetically diverse background and show an equally heterogeneous morphology (external appearance). This means that there are no particular Malvasia-specific characteristics. The name Malvasia refers to a type of wine and not to a family of grape varieties, which is often wrongly called "Malvasia" (the same phenomenon also applies to the four groups of names Lambrusco, Muscat, Trebbiano and Vernaccia)
The name Malvasia is probably a reference to the port of Monemvasia in the south-eastern Peloponnese, which in the Middle Ages was a transshipment point for dessert wines from the Mediterranean. An important production site was Crete. The merchants from the then naval power Venice imported "Vinum de Malvasias" in 1278. These were so important at that time that the Venetian wine shops were even called "Malvasia". However, these wines were made from different Greek grape varieties, which were often blended together. Among the candidates are Aïdani Aspro, Aïdani Mavro, Assyrtiko, Athiri Aspro, Athiri Mavro, Kydonitsa, Liatiko, Monemvasia, Thrapsathiri and Vilana.
The name Malvasia eventually became synonymous with excellent wines and also found its way into world literature. Shakespeare's Falstaff pays tribute to a Malvasia and Thomas Mann has a bouteille of Malvasia brought from the cellar in "Buddenbrooks". Which varieties the authors meant was probably not even clear to these two. The name Malvasia has been changed or verbalized in different languages. In English, it became Malmsey and is also the name of a type of Madeira wine. In France Malvoisie is used, in Croatia Malvazija and in German-speaking countries Malvasia. There are also the spellings Malvagia, Malvasie, Malvasijie, Malvasika and Malvasiya. In numerous sources and publications often only a short "Malvasia" is mentioned, which often makes identification difficult.
There are at least 25 different varieties with "Malvasia" in the main name, as well as countless in synonyms. In the individual countries and also regions these varieties are called differently. It is not surprising that there is often confusion here. The about 100 most important names with Malvasia in the name:
- Malvasia = Torrontés Riojano, Touriga Fêmea and others
- Malvasía = Malvasía de Lanzarote, Planta Nova and others
- Malvasia Acino Piccolo (Malvasia ad Acino Piccolo) = Giosana
- Malvasia a Grappolo Corto = Malvasia di Schierano
- Malvasia amarela
- Malvasia Antica Nera = Bombino Nero
- Malvasia Aromatica di Parma (Muscadelle du Bordelais)
- Malvasia Bastarda = Malvasia Bianca
- Malvasia Belaia = Luglienga Bianca
- Malvasia Bianca
- Malvasia Bianca Aromatica = Malvasia di Candia Aromatica
- Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata
- Malvasia Bianca di Candia
- Malvasia Bianca di Lucania = Marsanne
- Malvasia Bianca di Piemonte
- Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia Bianca Siciliana = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia Bianca Toscana = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasía Blanca = Alarije
- Malvasia Bonifacio, Malvasia à Bonifacio = Vermentino
- Malvasia Branca = Branda, Gros Vert and Síria
- Malvasia Branca de São Jorge (Malvasia Branca de S Jorge)
- Malvasia Candia, Malvasia Candia a Sapore Moscato = Malvasia Bianca di Candia
- Malvasia Cândida Roxa = Mutation of Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia Cannilunga di Novoli = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasía Castellana = Síria
- Malvasia col Puntino = Malvasia del Lazio
- Malvasia Corada = Vital
- Malvasia da Trincheira = Folgasão
- Malvasia de Colares
- Malvasia de Corse = Vermentino
- Malvasia de la Cartuja = Teneron
- Malvasía de Lanzarote
- Malvasía de la Palma = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia de la Rioja = Malvasia Bianca
- Malvasia del Carso = Malvazija Istarska
- Malvasia del Chianti = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia del Lazio
- Malvasía de Manresa = Garganega
- Malvasia de Porto = Folha de Figueira
- Malvasía de Rioja = Alarije
- Malvasía de Sitges = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasía de Tenerife = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia de Tomar = Ratinho
- Malvasia di Alessandria = Malvasia di Candia Aromatica
- Malvasia di Arezzo = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia di Brolio = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia di Cagliari = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia di Candia = Malvasia Bianca di Candia
- Malvasia di Candia Aromatica
- Malvasia di Candida = Malvasia di Candia Aromatica
- Malvasia di Casorzo (Malvasia Nera di Casorzo)
- Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco = Malvasia di Schierano
- Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia di Lucania = Malvasia Nera di Basilicata
- Malvasia di Luras = Nuragus
- Malvasia di Ragusa = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia di Ronchi = Malvazija Istarska
- Malvasia di San Nicandro = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia di Sardegna = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia di Schierano
- Malvasia Espagnole, Malvoisie Espagnole = Cayetana Blanca
- Malvasia fina
- Malvasia Fina do Douro = Vital
- Malvasia Fina Roxa (Malvasia Roxa)
- Malvasia Friulana = Malvazija Istarska
- Malvasia Carter = Vitovska Grganja
- Malvasia Galega = Malvasia Fina
- Malvasia Gentile = Malvasía de Lanzarote
- Malvasia Greca = Malvasia Bianca di Piemonte
- Malvasía Grossa = Síria, Vermentino
- Malvasía Grosso = Branda, Síria
- Malvasia Istriana = Malvazija Istarska
- Malvasia Krasnaya = Muscat Rouge de Madère
- Malvasia Lunga = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia Montanaccio = Mammolo
- Malvasia Negra = Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasía Negra = Juan García
- Malvasia Nera = Malvasia Nera di Basilicata, Malvasia Nera di Brindisi, Muscat d'Hamburg
- Malvasia Nera di Bari = Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasia Nera di Basilicata (Malvasia nera)
- Malvasia Nera di Bitonto = Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasia Nera di Bolzano
- Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasia Nera di Casale = Malvasia di Casorzo
- Malvasia Nera di Casorzo = Malvasia di Casorzo
- Malvasia Nera di Lecce = Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasia Nera di Piemonte = Malvasia di Casorzo
- Malvasia Nera di Trani = Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasia Nera Lunga
- Malvasia Niura = Malvasia Nera di Brindisi
- Malvasia Nostrale = Malvazija Istarska
- Malvasia odorosissima
- Malvasia parda
- Malvasia Polta = Carrega Branco
- Malvasía Portalegre = Naparo
- Malvasía Portuguesa = Malvasía de Lanzarote
- Malvasia preta
- Malvasia Puntinata = Malvasia Bianca, Malvasia del Lazio, Malvazija Istarska
- Malvasia Rasteiro = Listán de Huelva
- Malvasia Rei = Palomino
- Malvasía Riojana = Alarije
- Malvasia Rosa = Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Malvasia Nera Lunga
- Malvasía Rosada, Malvasía Rosado = mutation of Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvasia Rossa = Early Red VeltlinerMalvasia Bianca di Candia
- Malvasia Roxa = Malvasia Fina Roxa
- Malvasia Toscana = Malvasia Bianca Lunga
- Malvasia Trigueira (Trigueira)
- Malvasia Verde = Furmint
- Malvasía Volcanica = Malvasía de Lanzarote
- Malvasiya Dubrovačka = Malvasia di Lipari
- Malvazija Istarska (Malvasia Istriana)
- Malvazija S Piko = Vitovska Grganja
- Malvaziya Belaya = Luglienga Bianca
- Monemvasia (Monemvassia, Monemvassiatiko, Monovassia)
- Uva Doce Malvasia = Ratinho
- White Malvasia, White Malvasia of Istria = Malvazija Istarska
Further lists of vine variety names or synonyms can be found under Malvasia (common in the German-speaking world) and Malvoisie (common in France).
In Italy, there are also a number of DOC wines with Malvasia in the designation, but for which Malvasia varieties are not exclusively used. These are:
Grape varieties: M.I.P.A.A.F - National Vine Certification Service