Malagousia

By Yiannis Karakasis MW and Professor Stefanos Koundouras

In a nutshell

Μalagousia, is literally a re-discovery, a back to the future journey on Greek varieties. A white grape saved from near extinction (until the late '60s) that has quickly taken over the hearts of most producers. Ιt is now being grown literally in every corner of the country. Its plantings far exceed 500 hectares of vines; it is vinified successfully both on its own or as a part of blends (usually taming Assyrtiko). It can be a leader but also a team player.

Not much is known about its origins. From all the information I have gathered over the last years and interviews with Evangelos Geovassiliou, who is regarded as the "father" of the variety, the person that is credited with the rapid fame of Malgousia, we can assume two things. First that Malagousia was re-discovered by agronomist Kotinis in Nafpaktos in the late '60s. And, second that the Insitute of Vines in Athens (Stavroula Kourakou led that at the time) via Kotinis offered cuttings of Malagousia to late Professor Logothetis. They planted an experimental vineyard in the grounds of the Porto Carras winery in Chalkidiki, Macedonia. 

Nafpaktos (Kotinis)>>>via Institute of Vines and Kotinis to Porto Carras>>>Logothetis plants an experimental vineyard.

In the beginning, it was used as a blending component of the white blend of Chateau Carras, but in 1994 it was vinified as a single varietal wine under the supervision of Evangelos Gerovassiliou. Gerovassiliou was working as an oenologist at Porto Carras with the support of Dr Emile Peynaud. He later started his vineyard in Epanomi and invested largely in the variety and new varietal wine. 

Although the variety has a natural home in mainland Greece, it has found fertile ground all over the country. Numerous plantings are found in Macedonia and to the south in the Peloponnese and even Rodos. In this beautiful island of the Dodecannese, it contributes to the very rarely seen PDO Rodos. 

It is a moderately aromatic variety that is differently expressed depending on altitude and ripeness level. Thus, aroma styles can range from herbal, minty, citrusy, to more peachy and tropical, always with a floral signature. It classically produces wines that have intensity, concentration, medium-full body with highish alcohol, but of medium acidity. 
 

In the vineyard

The place of origin is Nafpaktos and Messolonghi, in western Mainland Greece, with the first report on the variety in 1888 by Othon Roussopoulos. Fifty-five years passed from that Roussopoulos publication, without another written report until the first viticultural description of the variety in 1943 by Vassos Krimpas.
 
After the Second World War, the variety was cultivated as a co-cultivation with Moschoudi and various Roditis, but with the landscaping in the Nafpaktos plain and the development in Messolonghi, the variety almost disappeared from its place of origin. In 1967, the Institute of Vines received some cuttings from the few vines owned by the Valandreas viticulturist in the Neochori community of Messolonghi. This was carried out by Kotinis.  

It is a variety that does not produce a significant number of clusters. However, yields are high mostly because of the size of the clusters that can easily reach 400 to 500 g, with big fleshy berries. Clusters tend to be very compact, especially when the plant is vigorous. This, in addition to the somewhat thinner skin, makes the variety prone to disease infection (mostly botrytis and less to mildews) and insect attacks (grape moth). 

As one would expect, due to its high vigour, it tolerates dry conditions well. Best results come from low fertility soils, where it produces loose clusters and lower yields.

One of the earliest ripening varieties among Greek cultivars (ripens approximately around the same time as Sauvignon blanc) places the harvest in mid to late August, in most regions. Therefore, for more aromatic wines, cooler areas are recommended to shift the harvest towards early to mid-September. 

Clones

Clonal selection still needs to be undertaken, so currently, no official clones are available in Greece; however, probably two to three biotypes exist the most interesting of which is a biotype with very small berries and loose clusters. Producers like Gerovassiliou and Argyropoulos (Pieria Eratini) argue that they have identified one with larger bunches and another with considerably smaller ones.

Terroirs

As explained above, Malagousia has the soul of a nomad. A no man's land variety that manages to root and express itself all around Greece. The best terroirs, meaning poor soils with altitude, give extra points to the final result. If we try to record the most recognizable these are:

Chalkidiki

On the epicentre of Malagousia's revival, Chalkidiki has proven to be a fertile ground for the variety. In Sithonia, the variety was first planted at low altitudes (100 m) in Domaine Porto Carras, red clay-sandy soils that benefit from the cooling sea breezes. An essential note here is that these approximately 15 hectares of Porto Carras are dry-farmed forcing the roots to go deeper.  Over the last few years, there were experiments with new plantings at 300 meters, on schist soils (parcel 7), but no final results have come through yet, although the first trials show a herbal (basil) character. 

Moreover, there are significant plantings in Arnaia, more inland, which enjoy a more continental climate. A notable winery of the region specializing in 100% Malagousia is Claudia Papagianni; there are however new efforts by newly established wineries such as Iatridis. 

Amyndeo

There are approximately 60 hectares of Malagousia in Amyndeo. Alpha Estate cultivates 45 of those while Kir Yianni, who plans to release this summer a single varietal Malagousia, works with another 11 hectares (1.7 privately, and 9.3 contracted producers). The variety is planted at an altitude of 550 to 650m. The soils are medium and light in composition with the percentage of sand exceeding 55% and in some cases, reaching 80%. Drainage is excellent in favour of cultivation. Calcium carbonate does not exceed 20%, a percentage that does not cause problems in farming but gives a unique character to the wines produced.

The soils are of generally low fertility. Harvest takes place between the 10th to 20th September. The weather conditions that prevail in the summer months favour an extended ripening period for Malagousia. The hot days, without extreme temperatures, with the cool nights ensure slow and gradual maturation giving the grapes a rich aromatic character and balanced acidity. Its aromas can be described as predominantly floral with citrus and herbal notes in the background, but in the warmer years, or in cases where a late harvest is selected, a subterpenic character emerges.

Pieria

Most of the vineyards are situated at 120-190 m and are mainly expressed as single varietals by Kitrus (2ha), Chrisostomou and Pieria Eratini (orange interpretation of the variety). These are at a distance of 3 km from the sea, at the end of Pieria in Pydna. Soils are mostly clay-sandy-calcareous soil with sandy zones and significant slopes. The orientation of vineyards is Northeast. The climate of the area is influenced by two critical factors, the constant sea-breeze, that keeps the vines cool, and the significant diurnal variation. 
 

Aegialia

Malagousia in Aegialia experiences cool ripening conditions due to the altitude. It maintains high natural acidity, low pH, which means that correcting acidity, one of the fundamental problems of the variety, is not needed (we often find very aromatic Malagousias from hot areas that are bitter and sour on the palate due to acidification). 

Harvesting, depending on the vineyard, altitude, producer takes place between the first and third week of September, succeeding alcohol around 12% abv. This is 3-4 weeks later than its usual dates across the country. Indicatively, at a relatively low altitude of 450m and bush vines the earliest harvest date ever recorded was Sep 3rd. 

It is common for producers like Tetramythos, to tame acidity, but also to strengthen the palate intensity, to macerate before the press at low temperatures for 30 hours. During this time there is a natural decrease in acidity by 2 grams per litre and an increase in pH of 0.2, says Panagiotis Papagiannopoulos of Tetramythos. Despite this and Malolactic conversion that follows, the wine retains a cool character. 

So far, single varietal Malagousias are produced by Tetramythos, Edanos, Kanakaris, Kintonis, Cavino, Rira (the latter does not belong to the typical characteristics of Aegialia, located at low altitudes) and Karanikola. Blends also exist from Mega Spilaio and Rouvalis. Theodora Rouvali from Rouvalis winery calculates total plantings between 15-20 hectares.