Malvasia Nera

What Is Malvasia Nera?

Malvasia Nera is a red grape of southern and central Italy, found mainly in Puglia and Tuscany. It gives soft, perfumed reds with plum, black cherry and violet, and is mostly used in blends: with Negroamaro in the Salento, and with Sangiovese in Chianti and the Maremma.

Malvasia Nera is a dark-skinned member of the large Malvasia family, but the name covers several different varieties. The two main ones are Malvasia Nera di Brindisi (also called di Lecce) in Puglia and Malvasia Nera di Basilicata. DNA studies have shown that Malvasia Nera di Brindisi is a natural cross of Negroamaro and Malvasia Bianca Lunga.

Where Malvasia Nera Grows

• Salento (Puglia): around Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto, in a hot, dry, windy climate, alongside Negroamaro.
• Tuscany: in Chianti, Chianti Classico and the Maremma, in small amounts.
• Basilicata, Calabria and Sardinia: smaller plantings, sometimes of different varieties with the same name.

Malvasia Nera and Italian Denominations

• Salice Salentino DOC: Negroamaro-based reds and rosés, often with some Malvasia Nera.
• Salento IGT and Puglia IGT: widely used for blends and varietal Malvasia Nera.
• Chianti Classico DOCG and Chianti DOCG: a small part of some Sangiovese blends.
• Morellino di Scansano DOCG: Maremma reds.
• Toscana IGT: blends and occasional varietal wines.
• Isola dei Nuraghi IGT: Sardinian blends.

Flavor Profile and Tasting Notes

• Fruit: plum, black cherry, blackberry and dried fig.
• Other notes: violets, rose, sweet spice, cocoa and tobacco.
• Structure: medium to full body, soft tannins, moderate acidity, warm.

Malvasia Nera softens and perfumes the blend: in the Salento it rounds out the rustic, slightly bitter Negroamaro, and in Tuscany it adds fruit and aroma to Sangiovese. In Puglia it is also part of many fresh, fruity rosati.

Food Pairing

• Puglian cooking: orecchiette with ragù, bombette and grilled lamb.
• Tuscan cooking: pasta with meat sauce, roast pork and grilled sausages.
• Rosato: pizza, seafood pasta, frise and summer antipasti.
• Cheese: caciocavallo and medium-aged pecorino.

How to Choose and Where to Start

You will usually find Malvasia Nera in a Salice Salentino or a Salento rosato: producers include Leone de Castris, San Marzano, Due Palme and Rosa del Golfo, whose rosato blends Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera. In Tuscany it appears in Chianti Classico and Maremma blends from producers such as Castello di Fonterutoli (Mazzei), Castello di Ama, Castellare di Castellina and Fattoria Le Pupille.

Malvasia Nera is blended with Negroamaro and Primitivo in Puglia, and with Sangiovese and Colorino in Tuscany. Read our best Puglia wines, the best Italian rosé wines, or browse the grape varieties index.