MALVAR
The main reasons why we find a great oenological heritage in the Iberian Peninsula is the enormous variety of climates, terroirs and agricultural uses that give rise to an endless number of different wines and unique styles. We have lived through times when the promise of improved production and more comfortable agriculture pushed some of this heritage into the background, but new winemakers rediscovered old vineyards and old varieties. One of those grapes was the Malvar.
In the past, the cultivation was more extensive and these white wines were very popular in Madrid, and there were even vineyards on the outskirts of the capital that supplied it with wine. The style was very different from today's, producing wines known as "Sobre madre", the must fermented for long weeks in contact with the skins, in the manner of the "brisados" or the ancient Georgian whites. Only when bottled, this layer of skins was removed and the wines were stabilised and preserved in a natural way. This practice has been used again by producers who follow the path of the orange wines, those orange wines that pursue the minimum intervention by man.
Nowadays, production is limited to Madrid and areas of Castilla la Mancha. Scarcely 200 hectares are registered. It is a robust plant that withstands well the drought and the harsh climates of the centre of the country, less productive than Airén but more interesting for white wine lovers. The wines produced with its fruits are pleasant, fruity and smooth with a refreshing acidity in the mouth. Fortune sheltered this variety in the less accessible places, so that nowadays we can enjoy old vines that give us these fantastic whites that we must get to know.