Farewell to Malta!

Summer festival of local music in Valletta

May 26, 1811.by George Gordon Byron

Adieu, ye joys of La Valette!
Adieu, sirocco, sun, and sweat!
Adieu, thou palace rarely enter’d!
Adieu, ye mansions where I’ve ventured!
Adieu, ye cursed streets of stairs!
(How surely he who mounts you swears!)
Adieu, ye merchants often failing!
Adieu, thou mob for ever railing!
Adieu, ye packets without letters!
Adieu, ye fools who ape your betters!
Adieu, thou damned’st quarantine,
That gave me fever, and the spleen!
Adieu, that stage which makes us yawn, Sirs,
Adieu, his Excellency’s dancers!
Adieu to Peter–whom no fault’s in,
But could not teach a colonel waltzing;
Adieu, ye females fraught with graces!
Adieu, red coats, and redder faces!
Adieu, the supercilious air
Of all that strut ‘en militaire’!
I go–but God knows when, or why,
To smoky towns and cloudy sky,
To things (the honest truth to say)
As bad–but in a different way.

Farewell to these, but not adieu,
Triumphant sons of truest blue!
While either Adriatic shore,
And fallen chiefs, and fleets no more,
And nightly smiles, and daily dinners,
Proclaim you war and woman’s winners.
Pardon my Muse, who apt to prate is,
And take my rhyme–because ’tis ‘gratis.’

And now I’ve got to Mrs. Fraser,
Perhaps you think I mean to praise her­
And were I vain enough to think
My praise was worth this drop of ink,
A line–or two–were no hard matter,
As here, indeed, I need not flatter:
But she must be content to shine
In better praises than in mine,
With lively air, and open heart,
And fashion’s ease, without its art;
Her hours can gaily glide along,
Nor ask the aid of idle song.

And now, O Malta! since thou’st got us,
Thou little military hothouse!
I’ll not offend with words uncivil,
And wish thee rudely at the Devil,
But only stare from out my casement,
And ask, for what is such a place meant?
Then, in my solitary nook,
Return to scribbling, or a book,
Or take my physic while I’m able
(Two spoonfuls hourly by the label),
Prefer my nightcap to my beaver,
And bless the gods I’ve got a fever.

When you leave a great place already one day before last you start counting as everything last, so last full day on the rocky beach with salt condensates after sea retreated, last lunch fish &chips&beer, last coffee ☕, last walk in the city , last glass of wine🍷 on the beach ⛱, last breakfast on the favorite bay terrace, some notes for the future plave where you can dance salsa if I ever return.

Marsovin Winery 🍷

The Marsovin Cellars are inaugurated, situated in a historic building built by the Knights of St John. Today over 250 oak barrels are used to age Marsovin’s Premium Single Estate Wines.

Anthony Cassar, sets up a wine merchant business back in 1919 with very little and against all odds builds a very strong enterprise.

Meridiana Winery

Meridiana Wine Estate has pioneered in Malta the production of premium quality wines, “World-Class  Wines of Maltese Character” – internationally acclaimed wines made from wine-grapes grown exclusively in Maltese soil. 

19-hectare (47-acre) site was acquired at Ta’ Qali, Malta’s agricultural heartland. Reclaimed from an airfield used during the Second World War, the Estate lies scenically below the ancient, walled-city of Mdina.

Ну нет повода не выпить…

Si ista ca vinul rosu ajuta si pentru Corona Virus. Vedeti Aici

Primele sticle de vin… Nu prea pana când. Dar m-au prevenit ca nu e cel mai bun producător. Deci am început cu strugurii indigeni Girgentina si Gellewza. Primul sec, al doilea un roze demi-dulce spumant. Ambele bune ca aperitive in special dacă bine răcite. Dar destul de simple și plate in profil. Mai căutăm…

Indiginious wine of Malta

Acorsing to wikipedia, wine production in Malta dates back over two thousand years to the time of the Phoenicians. However I belive it should have existed before that with the indiginious population preceding Phoenicians that had quite advanced culture centered on their link to the nature and peaceful living without wars.

Girgentina is a white-wine grape from Malta. Together with Ġellewża it is one of only two indigenous grapes on the island.

Ġellewża (Maltese pronunciation: [d͡ʒɛɫɫeʊ̯za]) is a dark-skinned grape variety native to the island. Only a small amount of wine is made from this little-planted variety. Volumes are far surpassed on the island by Girgentina, along with the ever-present Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ġellewża is used to make still red wines, as well as a semi-sparkling rosé wine. The strawberry-tinged sparkling rosés are often made in a medium dry style, with red fruit aromas to the fore. The red wines tend to be medium bodied, but Ġellewża is increasingly found in blends, together with Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon to make a more full-bodied wine. Ġellewża often acts to soften the spiciness of the wine and add a bright cherry flavour.

As most of Malta’s wine output is consumed by locals and the thriving tourism trade, very little Ġellewża wine is found outside of the island. Furthermore, the survival of indigenous grape varieties is under threat due to climate change (longer periods of drought) and the high average age of growers.

This variety of red wine grape is believed to have a very ancient origin, with number of wines and vineyards of Malta dating back over two thousand years.

Antonin is a medium bodied red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varieties.  Full fruit flavours of ripe blackberries, cherries and blueberries make this wine very enjoyable in its youth while the backbone and structure provide it with ample ageing potential. This is the closest to the classical Bordeaux blend that can be used to highlight the expressions of the terroir.

Marsovin’s Cassar de Malte is the traditional sparkling wine of Malta, which is made using the same method as champagne “methode traditionelle”.

It seems that there are five major wine producers on the island: Marsovin, Emmanuel Delicata, Camilleri Wines, Montekristo and Meridiana, all of whom offer some form of wine tasting or cellar tour. I managed to make appointments only with Meridiana and Marsovin, the last seems to be owened by the same owner of Camilleri. Delicata politely point me out that I can buy their wine everywhere including in the Aeroport. 😦 :/ here is the polite response judge it for yourself either it is polite or not. In any case no reference to Pandemics or holiday period made, so not clear either I needed to make extra efforts or there are objective reasons of refusals:

Good morning,
 
Thank you for your interest in Delicata wines. We are not hosting visitors at the moment but our wines are widely available all over Malta and Gozo in retail outlets, restaurants, hotels and wine bars. I hope that you get a chance to taste what we have to offer.
 
Our wines are also available at the airport departures lounge.
 
Best regards,
 
Jonathan Falzon
Viticulture, Quality, & Projects Manager

St. Aghata, Mosta and other places and events in Malta as a blessed land.

The amount of “lucky” events that saved this land from iminent destruction, could only be compared to the ammount of times it was conquered, reconquered and attacked by whoever passed through Mediterranean, from Persians. Romans, Normands, Somalians, Ottomans and fascist Italians and Germans. However the first inhabitants of the island are sad to be peaceful and close to the na11ture, without weapons, or wars according to arhiological researchers. In any case, here some evidence of documented miracles.

During World War II, the town of Mosta was prone to aerial bombardment due to its proximity to the airfield of RAF Ta Kali. At about 16:40 on 9 April 1942, the Luftwaffe dropped three bombs on the church, and two of them deflected without exploding. However, one 500 kg high explosive bomb pierced the dome and entered the church, where a congregation of more than 300 people were awaiting early evening mass. The bomb did not explode, and a Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal unit defused it and dumped it into the sea off the west coast of Malta. This event was interpreted as a miracle by the inhabitants, and a similar bomb is now displayed in the sacristy at the back of the church, under the words Il-Miraklu tal-Bomba, 9 ta’ April 1942 (meaning “The Bomb Miracle, 9 April 1942”).

✔ ✅ Must do it or check-ins I have managed.

Every country have most emblematic things you are suppose to do. Some clishe, some personal preferences, some as a crowd following, some as personal o indulgences. Here you are with my list.

6.20 am Unii termină noaptea trecută..
…alții încep o zi nouă

Bragioli– MALTESE BRAGIOLI (BEEF OLIVES)

slowly braised stuffed bundles of beef.  The term olive is a bit confusing as there are no olives in this recipe. It turns out they got their name because they are stuffed and somewhat resemble the shape of an olive when cooked. 

Day II North of Malta, hidden place where Africa Kiss Europe + brain freezing views on sea, costal lines and places only local inhabitants know.

I was just plain extremely lucky that Marc and Cristina were still in Malta last two days while visiting their family. All this beautiful moment I owe to them and Marc’s knowledge along with stories and legends that only person lived in the area for a lifetime can tell. Livable caves with electricity until 60s, the place of tectonic joint of Africa and Europe, bays, costal lines, Maltese Knights towers, blue windows in the nature and many fun and nice moments, without speaking about food that is a topic of separate posting.

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started