Malaga or Muscat of Alexandria?
I am keen on Cyprus wines. I prefer looking deeper when we talk about quality. We are responsible when we make wine tasting to be honest and qualified. We have to know grape varieties, soils, terroir and varietal blends.
What do we know about Muscat of Alexandria?
It is mid budding, late-ripening. It is grape with big bunches of big berries and its lakes the heat. The grapes are achieving high sugar. The wine will be with full body. We can find Muscat of Alexandria in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and It is growing on volcanic soils.
Muscat Ottonel
It is low vigour, early ripening. Well suited to clay-limestone soils. The berries can accumulate high sugar and produce aromatic wines, both dry and sweet. We can find Muscat Ottonel in France, mainly Alsace, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Hungary, Rumania and in Krasnodar in Russia.
Malaga
It is grape late-ripening. One of the theory is that the grape variety is coming from Spain. It has given the name of the tawn Malaga. The second theory is that the grape is Muscat of Alexandria. Malaga is just a synonym of it. Malaga is growing in Island Canarias under the name of Malvasia. The grape has characteristic of light aromas, full-body and full flavours.
Why we have to know more about Malaga or Muscat of Alexandria?
Cyprus grows Malaga and usually used in blends. You can find Malaga in Omodos. Playia white wine blends of Xinistery, Asirtiko, Malaga, can give us a different view of Muscat aromas and characteristics. Only 20% of this grape added to Xinistery bouquet of white peach aromas and longer ageing time to the wine.
Wine-maker makes the difference.
Cyprus wine-makers are artists.
Single Vinyard Xinistery
The winemaker aimed to fully express the terroir of this vineyard. The juice was fermented to wine by the unique naturally occurring yeast, in big oak/acacia barrels and a small stainless-steel tank. Maturation sur-lees for 5 months ensued.
On every “Playia” (meaning slope) of our vineyards, the juice rises patiently from the root to the berries while the rain naturally drains the soil, creating ideal conditions for ripening the grapes of “Oenou Yi – Ktima Vassiliades. The blend of Xinistery, Malaga and Assyrtiko which added extra tropical notes to the wine, and it makes wine age-worthy.
MOROKANELA, Vasilikon winery
White dry wine. Protected Geographical Indication Paphos from selected vine blocks of Kathikas. White vinification, with cold maceration, low temperature fermentation and extended lees ageing.
This unique grape variety has mostly the same aromatic like Malaga. Tropical aromas white peach and guava. We have ageing potential. Wine has a unique cinnamon flavour from where it takes his name Kanela.
