Malvasia Sitia is a relatively new wine appellation that was officially recognized in 2011. In this context, “Malvasia” does not refer to a specific grape variety—as it commonly does—but rather to a modern recreation of the Malvasia wine from Crete that was actively traded by the Venetians from the 14th to 17th centuries.
The original Malvasia was a sweet wine made from a blend of grape varieties. Similarly, Malvasia Sitia is produced using several traditional grape varieties that have been grown on the island of Crete for centuries.