Malta's largest wine producer Marsovin releases Grand Maître 2015

The Għajn Riħana estate spans over an area of 1.6 hectares, situated between the Bidnija hills and Wardija in the north of Malta. The vineyard is densely planted with 14,000 vines of two noble French grape varieties, made up of equal quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  The arid land and clay-rich, calcareous soil provide a tough growing environment for these vines. The yields from this estate generally produce very concentrated full bodied wines of intense fruit and aromatic character. Following vinification, the unfiltered wine is aged in new oak barriques for over 12 months in the Marsovin Cellars prior to bottling.

Marsovin’s Grand Maître is a wine dedicated to the Grand Masters of Malta by special appointment to the Maltese Association Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Each vintage is dedicated to a different Grand Master in chronological order, the first one being Philippe Villiers de L’Isle Adam for the 1998 vintage.

This year's vintage is dedicated to Fra Nicolas Cotoner, the 61st Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta. One can say that life in the Order could by latter part of Nicolas Cotoner’s reign be better described as being one in which the Grand Master had developed into one of the Western ruling Princes of the time.

A premium blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is what makes Grand Maître. The 2015 vintage climatic conditions were characterised by an abnormally cold winter spell and good rainfall especially during January and February. Summer started off with a prolonged heatwave in end June to early July, followed by a sudden decrease in temperature, to below the average, after a freak storm in the first week of August. Overall these conditions contributed to a significant delay in reaching the optimum grape maturity which resulted in the latest harvest date in the history of this vineyard and a slightly lower harvest yield in comparison to the yields obtained in the previous two years. The resultant wine produced portrays the typical characteristics of this vineyard being an already very approachable and pleasant wine characterised by its typical fruity bouquet, velvety smooth tannins and new oak nuances.

Grand Maître is available in wooden boxes of 6 and 3 bottles, as well as single bottles being offered in an exclusively designed complimentary presentation box.