Marsovin Winery released the 2020 vintage of its ‘Artist Edition’ wine range, 1919. The wines are branded as 1919 as it is the year when the founder of Marsovin, Chevalier Anthony Cassar, established his roots in the wine business.
Marsovin has a long-standing reputation as a winery that firmly supports the Maltese art scene. The concept of 1919 is to combine the culture of wine with art, through the means of a wine which represents the marriage and long history between Marsovin and the local arts. Every year a Maltese artist is commissioned to create three paintings, which are used as the main feature on the labels of the 1919 white, rosé and red wines.
This is the 17th vintage which the winery has released, having featured paintings of renowned Maltese artists by: Debbie Caruana Dingli, Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Andrew Diacono, Gabriel Caruana, James Vella Clark, Andrew Micallef, Celia Borg Cardona, Denise Borg Milo, Selina Scerri, Mark Mallia, Catherine Cavallo, Rupert Cefai, Richard Saliba, Victoria Tonna and Mark England.
The 2020 vintage labels feature paintings from Andrew Borg, who after visiting the Marsovin Estates, took inspiration from the landscapes and colours at different times of the day, naming the paintings Żerniq, Nofsinhar and Għabex for the rosé, white and red, respectively.
Marsovin CEO, Jeremy Cassar said: “Every vintage is a new discovery with the creation of a new vintage and a set of paintings specifically designed and painted by our artist of choice. This year we are delighted to have Andrew Borg with us to adorn the 1919 labels with his art. His style, passion and appreciation for the arts and the culture of wine made him a perfect choice for our 1919 labels.”
Maltese artist Andrew Borg said: “I have tried to blend the ingredients which Marsovin 1919 wine descents from to achieve its individuality, so I have chosen a typical Maltese terrain backdrop, coupled with our climate colours that nourish the grapes, and time of day I associate with each of the red, rose and white wines. It has been an honour to be associated with this initiative by Marsovin.”
The winery has also released a new video featuring the 1919 concept which can be viewed on their social media channels.
The 1919 white is produced from a blend of three grape varieties, the indigenous grape Girgentina, Chardonnay and Moscato, displaying fruity aromas of apples, limes and a floral hint of orange blossom. The rosé is made from the indigenous Ġellewża, Grenache and Shiraz varieties displaying a clear and vibrant colour with fresh aromas of rose petals, ripe cherries and light mineral, herbaceous undertones. On the other hand, the 1919 red is made from 100 per cent Ġellewża. The harvested Ġellewża, bunches are laid down to dry in the sun for a number of days before being vinified, resulting in a concentration of the Ġellewża grape’s natural sugars, acidity and flavours.
The 1919 range is available at www.marsovinwinery.com and selected restaurants in Malta and Gozo.