Marnisi is a premium Maltese red wine. A Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc. It is produced by Marsovin, one of Malta’s long-lasting and established wine producers. Marnisi is a single estate wine produced with grapes coming from the winery’s privately owned 2.8 hectares estate in Marsaxlokk.
Wine Profile
Marnisi is a blend representative of the 3 grape varieties on the estate which are Cabernet Sauvignon 59%, about 33% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc.
Marnisi is intentionally unfiltered to retain its natural character, consequently a slight sedimentation may form at the bottom of the bottle.
Marnisi is a highly tannic, robust red wine expressive of terroir characteristics. This wine has a deep colour intensity, an aroma of a black fruit with oak barrique maturation and complex hints of leather, smoke and spice, giving a longer ageing potential.
About the estate
The Marnisi Estate was planted in 1992 in Marsaxlokk. Marsaxlokk is situated on the southern coast of the Maltese islands, a village renown for its active fishing community. The sea breeze blowing from the south west acts as a subtle buffer to the sun and mellows its effect on the grapes within the estate. This allows the grapes to ripen softly during the hot Mediterranean summer in order to produce a wine of elegance and stature.
The Marnisi Estate was the first in a series of Marsovin owned estates specifically intended for the production of premium quality wines. The estate is spread across 2.8 hectares, planted with over 50,000 vines, consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. In 2013 the winery started a careful three-year process to implement organic practices in farming and vinification.
Thanks to the bold move, the Marnisi Estate in Marsaxlokk has become the largest expanse of organically farmed wines in Malta. Subsequently the 2016 vintage became Malta’s first premium wine to be EU certified and awarded the official seal of ‘Organic Wine’.
Rewarded for their efforts
Marnisi started to get recognition by certified judges at the International Organic Wine Awards. The first organic vintage of 2016 competed with another 1086 wines coming from 28 different countries. Even though a new player on the organic wine scene, Marnisi still managed to win a gold in its first year of release as an organic wine. A true example of Maltese perseverance that paid off.
The recognition served as a confirmation of the hard work by all involved at Marsovin to convert to organic practices and methods, while still retaining the premium quality standards of the wine. A true example of Maltese perseverance that paid off.
Marnisi continued to excel by getting awarded for three consecutive years in this prestigious international competition. The latest 2018 vintage was recognised with another gold medal after competing with 648 wines from 18 different countries.
About the award
The “International Organic Wine Award” is a high quality contest for wine produced from ecological grapes. The participants value the transparency of the results and place trust in the expertise of the jury. The tasting of PAR® contests is based on the international scientific cognitions concerning wine and quality definition, primarily the terroir, in other words, origin, and not the varieties or ascending alcohol and sugar content.
Following EU regulations on PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) dated 2009, the characterisation of terroir is the subject of the quality documentation (PAR = Ranking). The quantitative documentation of wine contents (Analysis) provides valuable information to winemakers how origin and climate shape their wine. Thus, a terroir becomes more and more a replicable and transparent figure for winemakers and consumers.
Where to buy
You can find Marnisi on a few wine lists of restaurants around Malta and Gozo. Marsovin retails the wine for general consumers too through it cellars in Paola, The Master Cellar in Naxxar and Gzira, and several other premium wine shops across Malta and Gozo. You can also find it on your way out of Malta at the Malta International Airport.
BUY ONLINE
