Malvasia Bianca di Candia is a white grape variety belonging to the broad group of Mediterranean Malvasias, traditionally traced back to the island of Crete, formerly known as Candia. Historically widespread across central and southern Italy and in some northern areas, it is found in significant quantities in Lazio – particularly in the Castelli Romani – as well as in the Marche, Abruzzo, Campania, Umbria, Tuscany, Apulia and Emilia-Romagna, with particular reference to the provinces of Piacenza and Parma. The vine is vigorous and has large leaves, generally pentagonal, trilobed or pentalobed, with a slightly arachnoid underside and veins that are sometimes pinkish. The bunch is large, conical or cylindrical-conical, often winged and semi-loose; the berry, of medium size and spheroidal shape, has a thin but firm skin, with little bloom, golden-yellow in colour, sometimes dotted with brown hues in the sunniest locations. The wine is characterised by its straw-yellow colour and a delicately floral and fruity profile, with hints of citrus, apple and white-fleshed fruit, underpinned by a pleasant freshness. Generally light-bodied and harmonious in structure, it best expresses its immediacy when young, whilst acquiring greater complexity in the more carefully crafted versions. An interesting fact concerns the traditional name ‘Malvasia rossa’, which refers to the reddish colour of the shoot rather than the grape skin.