The Malta Independent on Sunday
An annus mirabilis for Marsovin
Marsovin deserve great praise for their initiative in producing an organic wine, a first for Malta. This was evidently not just done overnight. A great deal of knowledge and dedication were needed to produce the recently launched organic Marnisi, which won a Gold Medal at the International Organic Wine Awards in Germany recently.
*** A handful of journalists and bloggers were invited to the Marsovin Cellars at Marsa for an evening of information and wine tasting followed by dinner which was in the hands of The Mediterranean Culinary Academy.
CEO Jeremy Cassar greeted us warmly and Cassar de Malte and aubergine caviar blinis were served upstairs where we could admire paintings by local artists and catch up with each other’s news.
Jeremy brings with him all the enthusiasm of youth. He has been associated with wine from his mother’s womb so talking about it is like second nature to him.
*** Going to the Marsovin Cellars, where I had been so often, over the years, was no sacrifice. Whereas in summer I generally avoid ‘events’ as much as possible, because of the heat, one stepped into the Cellars and breathed the cool air with relief. I could live here throughout the hot summer months, I said to myself. A bed and a light duvet, in case it got too chilly, and I could spend the day reading and listening to music and having the occasional sip of wine of which there is plenty. For food, I would have to contrive some way of not losing too much weight. (If only).
*** Once we reached the Cellars via the precarious garigor, Bernard Muscat, wine specialist, spoke engagingly, with a knowledge approaching passion, about the new organic wine and how it is made – a long and meticulous process let me tell you. I wondered at the end of Bernard’s talk, how it is possible to make a profit out of making fine wines.
And soon, we were shown into the ‘holy of holies’ where wine bottles are neatly stacked, with name tags and dates – many with dust on them which somehow makes them more desirable. If only aged woman were as much in demand as aged wine.
The only time I had seen anything similar was some years ago in Porto, which is such an interesting town and where I hope to go again before I become manure for future generations. *** Here we sat at a square table of solid wood. Nothing flimsy about this place. The table was laid simply and I loved it’s simplicity. It felt quite ‘monastic’ down there.
The young bloggers – all slim and fit – became a little restless as there was no WiFi and they were keen to take photos of it all and place them on Instagram.
*** I was sitting next to Chris Cremona, Marsovin’s viticulturist who advices the farmers who look after the extensive Marsovin vineyards. He believes in going to the vineyards himself so he is very much in touch with each farmer. Beats sitting at a desk all day.
We were told that the food too, was going to be organic. I had never tasted organic food before – vegeta- bles yes, but not dishes and I have to say I was a little apprehensive. Was it going to all be tasteless, food for vegans and tree huggers? I was soon to discover that it was delicious.
*** Kurt Mifsud CEO of The Mediterranean Culinary Academy explained how the pairing between the wine and food came about after he and his team were first invited by Marsovin to taste the wine. “We tasted each wine individually and took notes on its aroma, flavour and its overall mouthfeel, once done we sat down and compared notes. We then opted for fresh seasonal, local ingredients that would complement and highlight the particular char- acteristics of each wine.”
And so we started to eat. I loved the crockery – rustic and solid.
Starter was a carpaccio of red bream with Granny Smith apples and pistachio purée.
The vegetarians ate the same without the red bream carpaccio. This was accompanied by a 1919 White.
The main course was built around organic ingredients. The wine itself was quite robust so they opted for dark meat, an organic rib eye served with organic puréed potatoes, with a berry and beef jus.
I am not very keen on red meat especially if cooked ‘rare’. But this rib eye was crying out ‘Come eat me.’ So I did and enjoyed every mouthful as I dug fork and knife all the time wondering whether my car was going to be hit, as I had parked it on the main road. The rib eye was accompanied by the organic Marnisi, and after the first glass of this fine wine, I forgot about the car.
The vegetarian main consisted of braised and pan fried beetroot, which were accompanied by a berry and beetroot jus. I call that mortifying the flesh.
Again the pairing of the dessert wine, Guzé and the dessert were perfect. This wine has very strong flavour of carob, cherries and molasses so those ingredients were used in the dessert thus highlighting the wine.
*** At the MCA they aim to source the best ingredients by following the company’s ethos: fresh, sustainable and local. “Luckily,” says Kurt “we have a group of dedicated young small-scale farmers all under the age of 40 that supply us with pesticide-free fruit and vegetables to our specifications.”
I felt as if I was positively acquiring health by eating those organic dishes.
*** The Mediterranean Culinary Academy is a start-up academy and product-driven. It provides culinary courses and is focused on giving its students the technical abilities to excel in any culinary role, whether they are home cooks or professionals.
I must mug up on everything organic this summer an add yet another book to the pile on my bedside table.
Cuisine is like a fireworks display, someone said. Nothing remains. It is une fête, rapid, ephemeral.
And so it was that evening. And at last the young bloggers finally dashed upstairs to be able to send all the pictures they had been taking and let their followers know of the wines and food served that evening. mbenoit@independent.com.mt