”We are in Castel Giorgio, a place that was once called Etruria, rich in history, magic, and archaeology; a land on the border between Umbria, Lazio, and Tuscany. Our influence comes from Lake Bolsena, so we have dark and rich soil, but what makes us unique is that we are high up on the Alfina plateau, which was once the old volcano crater. We are exactly on the edge of this plateau, so we enjoy both flat land and the forest that descends towards Orvieto.
The "vigna maritata" that we manage are located in this place, and by visiting it, you realize that it resembles more a “museum of an ecosystem” than a simple vineyard.”
So, what DO you get if you cross the volcanic influence of Lake Bolsena with a dose of historic Orvieto, and two inspired people with a lifelong dedication to holistic sustainable agriculture and natural winemaking? Oh, and did I mention they have 80y/o vines growing on trees?!
“Vigna Maritata” is an old contadini way of training vines, often using fruit trees, maple trees and the like. It was a very practical and ingenious way of farming - keeping your vines up high so you can plant other things underneath. Elisa and Giovanni swooped in and saved this incredibly unique octogenarian vineyard from destruction. The elderly owner was convinced no one could continue the tradition, but Elisa and Giovanni luckily convinced him that they were the right people to carry the torch, and bought the property in 2017. They’d been looking for the “right” property for more than 2 years!
The first vintage of Maluava was in 2018 (only 1000 bottles), but just 5 years later they have grown to a happy 15-20 thousand bottles (vintage dependant). The grapes here are those typical of Orvieto - Procanico, Drupeggio, Sangiovese etc. This, combined with the Bolsena-influenced terroir give the white and pink wines a terrific balance of sharp, transparent, salty minerality with a generous amount of bright fruit, and the red wine a super soulful dark, brooding, herbaceous, sanguine thing, full of plummy fruit and expressive of that iron-rich volcanic soil.
These wines are dynamic, energetic, and a little bit wild. There’s an optimism to these wines that we really love, and don’t we all need a little of that!
Although a relatively young project, Elisa and Giovanni have spent their entire adult lives diligently working in sustainable agriculture projects together. They understand and have lived the REAL work of farming and polyculture, with an amazing story and hearts of gold. A true bright spot and inspiration for us as importers, and when you dig in and work with these wines, we know you’ll feel it for yourself.
Malauva Bianco 2022 - Procanico, Drupeggio, Malvasia, Verdello with short maceration. Aged in stainless steel.
Malauva Rosato 2022 - 100% Sangiovese. 90% direct press and 10% macerated on skins. Aged in stainless steel.
Malauva Rosarella 2022 - Procanico, Trebbiano, Drupeggio direct press followed by a short maceration on Sangiovese skins. Aged in stainless steel.
Malauva Osarella 2021 - 100% Sangiovese with a long maceration. Aging in stainless steel.
Malauva Rosso in Comune 2022 - A collaboration with Ajola and Gazzetta. This rosato is a blend of Chardonnay from Osarella vineyard, fermented on the skins for five days, pressed to tank and infused for two days with the skins of Sangiovese. Aged in stainless steel.