Malta’s wine heritage stretches back more than 2,500 years. Near Mġarr ix-Xini on Gozo, an ancient rock-cut wine press—thought to date to around 500 BCE—offers evidence that grapes were once grown and wine produced on a substantial scale. Trade in wine may go back even further: vessels bearing traces of wine have been recovered from a Phoenician shipwreck off Gozo, dating to around 700 BCE.
A culture shaped by history
Malta’s wine story reflects its successive rulers, from the Romans and Arabs to the Normans, French and Spanish. Wine culture flourished under the Knights of St John, who ruled the islands from 1530. Records from the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu document a taste for European fine wines, including claret and Burgundy.
That appetite helped sustain a small local wine industry through centuries of upheaval. Vineyards were uprooted to make way for cotton during the early years of British rule, while phylloxera and the Second World War brought further disruption. Malta gained independence in 1964, and EU membership in 2004 brought investment and a growing tourism industry, helping boost demand for local wines.
Small vineyards, challenging conditions
Malta and Gozo have a hot, dry Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and long summers. Their soils are generally shallow and lie over porous limestone; Gozo’s are somewhat cooler and more clay-rich. With little rainfall and no rivers or lakes, growers often rely on drip irrigation. New vineyards tend to be planted on cooler, north-facing slopes.
Land is scarce, and many producers source grapes from small growers rather than owning extensive vineyards. Delicata, founded in 1907, is Malta’s oldest surviving winery. Marsovin, established in 1919, is the country’s largest producer and owns five vineyard estates across the islands. Its Marnisi Estate, in southeastern Malta, has recently added a new winery and cellar door.
Meridiana, backed by the Antinori family, owns Malta’s largest single vineyard: a 19-hectare estate at Ta’ Qali, planted on a former Royal Air Force base in the 1990s. Family winery Ta’ Betta farms a terraced four-hectare vineyard at 200 metres above sea level.
Native and international grapes
The local grapes Girgentina and Gellewża were once central to Maltese wine. Girgentina is subtle and peachy, while Gellewża has cherry-like fruit. Both are now being revived, though international varieties have become more prominent for their reliability and ability to produce complex styles.
Producers make ripe, silky reds from Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet varieties. Marsovin also produces a blend of sundried Gellewża and Syrah. Vermentino and Chardonnay are leading white grapes, while wineries including Delicata, Marsovin and Gozo’s Tal-Massar are bringing fresh, lighter Girgentina wines to market. Researchers are also studying other native varieties, including the promising white grape Insolja Bajda.
At boutique winery Markus Divinus, self-taught winemaker Mark Borg makes small quantities of premium wines from carefully selected plots. The range includes Girgentina-led pét-nat and refined, velvety reds.
A future constrained by land
Malta produces around 1.3 million bottles of wine each year, compared with roughly 12 million bottles imported. Producers say they could sell more, but limited agricultural land and reluctance among some landowners to plant vines restrict growth. As a result, many of the islands’ concentrated reds are drunk young, before they have had time to reach their full potential.
Expanding vineyards could do more than increase production. In an increasingly hot and arid climate, vine growing may help preserve agricultural landscapes and reduce soil erosion. The next chapter of Malta’s wine story may therefore matter both to the industry and to the islands’ environment.
Visiting Malta’s wine country
- Taste: Meridiana offers tastings at its Maltese farmhouse. Ta’ Betta hosts sunset picnics among its vineyards.
- Eat: Michelin-starred de Mondion in Mdina showcases Maltese produce and an extensive wine list. Fernandõ Gastrotheque in Sliema serves Asia-inspired Mediterranean cuisine.
- Explore: Learn about the Knights Hospitaller at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.