Alas, land is far from sacred in Malta and even linguistically it’s sometimes referred to harshly and contemptuously. Through the use of the word xagħri, which derives from the Arabic sahra for desert, we demote our garrigue, those few untouched patches of literally hundreds of different low-growing shrubs and rare indigenous plants, to useless land … Read More
Malta
Growing Fond of Grenache Noir
If I could, I would fly this grape on a flagstaff. Of course, it’s impractical: Grenache is so juicy it would goo and glop away. Lately, I’ve grown fond of this dark-skinned grape variety that comes in a vast variety of different wine styles and which has also found local favour. Grenache Noir is its … Read More
Good ol’ Chardonnay
Chardonnay has received quite a bit of flak in recent years for not being the most exciting of white wine varieties. Truth be told, there are other thrilling grapes and wines around that are capable of tasting more pronounced, and which often have a more fascinating story to tell. However, some of all this ‘chard-bashing’ … Read More
Ġbejna friendly wines
Ġbejna, the cheeselet of the Maltese Islands, traditionally made from sheep or goat milk, salt and rennet, is staple diet in Malta and Gozo. However, because of its special personality, it’s often left unpaired with a nice glass of wine. But if the great Italian and French cheeses go so well with their native wines, … Read More
You say varietal, I say variety
Rummaging through the pages of a keepsake wine list of a long-forgotten Maltese restaurant with a three-colour charcoal drawing on the cover of a bottle of Pommard next to a pair of vermouth glasses, I realise how wine preferences have changed. Judging by the vintages and prices, the faded list must be about 50 years … Read More