Maltese Wine & Upcoming Wine Festivals

Malta has been producing wine for more than 2000 years, however in the past we were not high up on the list of places to visit for a wine tour – it seems we liked to keep our delicious drinks to ourselves and produce limited runs each year of our finest red, whites and rosés!

Over the last decade or so, the world has started to take notice and Malta is fast becoming a European hotspot for wine tasting, rising up in the ranks alongside France and our neighbours Italy. This is mainly thanks to our ideal growing climate enabling our boutique wineries to create modern and unique aromas and flavours – the rich soil is particularly optimal for red wines so it’s no wonder that we’re famed for our Merlot and Syrah. Delicata is one of the main producers of award-winning Maltese wine; the winery is family run and is Malta’s oldest and they are much talked about in the wine trade. As well as red wines, Delicata also produce a popular range of sparkling wines and make great use of Malta’s native grape varieties Ġellewża and Girgentina in their collection. Marsovin is another well-established family run Malta winery, who are currently celebrating their centenary year and are responsible for leading the way in innovative procedures over the years and establishing new grape varieties into Malta’s growing estates.

Celebrating Maltese Wine – Annual Wine Festivals

Both the boutique wineries mentioned celebrate their success with an annual wine festival – inviting Malta’s wine lovers and international guests to join the festivities. Both festivals are held in Malta’s capital city Valletta and are an excellent way to spend an evening being wined, dined and entertained.

Marsovin Wine Festival 12^th-14^th July, Hastings Gardens

The Marsovin festival has been running for a number of years and is much-loved by locals as it tends to be a marker that summer is in full swing. As 2019 is the winery’s 100^th anniversary, this year in particular will be a real celebration. Entry is €20 but this includes tokens to spend at the various bars for tasters and full glasses of wine. There will be live music from Malta’s hottest artists including Red Electrick and local restaurants have stalls too with a diverse selection of cuisines to try from sushi to fresh pizza, to cheese and traditional Maltese dishes.

Delicata Wine Festival 8^th-11^th August, Upper Barrakka Gardens

Now in its 18^th year the Delicata wine festival attracts a lot of interest. There will be live entertainment from Maltese performers, and a range of live cooking demonstrations all to be enjoyed at dusk overlooking the Grand Harbour, enjoying a range of wines by starlight. Entry is free but in order to try the wines, you must purchase a coin purse of tokens that can be exchanged at each stall, and these are available to visitors aged 17 and over. There will be low-alcohol options and soft drinks available, but it’s recommended to travel by foot or public transport so that you can enjoy all the flavours of the festival.

Where To Stay?

The ideal place to stay for either festival is in Valletta city centre, in a family run, traditional palazzo boutique hotel such as Casa Ellul, an excellent way to soak up even more Maltese culture within walking distance or a short taxi ride away from the entertainment. A small intimate hotel is also ideal for the quiet and restful morning that you might need the day following your wine indulgence!