white grape · regional staple
Malvazija
Istrian Peninsula, Croatia
Say it
mal·vah·zee·yah
Terminal -ija sounds like '-ee-yah'; Italian cognate 'Malvasia Istriana' is pronounced 'mal-vah-ZEE-ah ees-tree-AH-nah'
On the palate
white peachapricotgreen applehoneysucklehayalmond
How you spot it blind: bitter almond finish with saline mineral persistence
The story
First written down · 1891, Zagreb
DNA profiling confirmed Malvasia Istriana is genetically distinct from all other Malvasia varieties, establishing that the shared name reflects medieval Monemvasia trade routes rather than common ancestry.
Where it lives
Istria, Croatia · Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy · Carso/Trieste, Italy
Shows up as
still whiteorangesparklingsweet
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Also answers to Malvazija Istarska, Maslvazija, Malvasia Istriana.
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