Like any proud Mediterranean country, Malta boasts excellent wine production.  A burgeoning reputation of Maltese vintages is growing across the continent with wines from the country winning competitions in more renowned nations like Italy and France. 
 
The most typical international grape varieties you are likely to come across here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Carignan, Chenin Blanc and Moscato.  Then there are the indigenous varieties, Ġellewża and Ghirghentina, which are producing some excellent wines of distinct body and flavour. 
 
The hot and humid climate of Malta means that grapes ripen very quickly, there has been a large effort in the past couple of decades to improve the standard of Maltese wine with wineries careful to grow varieties suited to the distinct limestone terroir.  The local wine industry is now reaping the benefits of this rejuvenation with many Northern European markets now stocking Maltese wines.
 
This history of winemaking in Malta is an interesting one, there was a time when Malta’s flourishing wine production faced extinction when British ships arrived encouraged the uprooting of vine’s and olive groves in Malta in favour of cotton which was a highly valued crop at the time.  This was a deviation from the precedent set in Oporto, Jerez, Madeira and Marsala, each of which saw significant export-focused increases in their viniculture. 
 
Thankfully however this was only temporary, within a century, cotton production had taken off in the US, causing the value of Malta's cotton to reduce significantly.  Therefore viticulture began to take prominence once more, and continued to thrive despite the arrival of phylloxera as it swept through Europe in the 1860s.
 
A celebration of Maltese wine is held every year at the Qormi Wine Festival, the first week of September sees wine lovers descend upon Qormi to sample the finest Maltese vintages.  The festival transforms the streets of Qormi, in front of St.  George's Parish Church is filled with wine stalls.  The two-day free event includes promotional events from all over the island.  Five exhibitions, ranging from wine, paintings, photo, floral and another of historical and cultural treasures found in Qormi, are concurrently held during the Qormi Wine Festival.

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