How long have you been working with wines and what drew you towards this particular line of work?

It was my passion for food and restaurants that started off my passion for wine. At 17 years of age I entered the hotel industry and this made me realise how much I adore wine, which led me to study wines and spirits at a WSCT level. I have now been working with Marsovin for the past seven months. However, before that, I have been studying and teaching at the Institute of Tourism Studies since 1999. At the Institute of Tourism Studies I lecture on “Wine and Spirits” at intermediate and advanced level.

What did your studies entail?

Studying wines is a very varied matter. When I studied wines, I not only studied viticulture and vinification but I also studied the basics. I studied the differences between fortified wines, sherries, ports, Madeira, marsala and sparkling wines.

In addition, it is necessary to enter into an in-depth analysis of both Old World wines ie, wines produced in the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe, and New World wines ie, wines produced mainly in Australia, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and the USA. In every case, it is not only the country that is studied, but also the region.

At the end of my studies, one particular examination included recognising 21 different wines.

In the case of viticulture, where apart from the affects of weather, climate, soil and grape variety one also learns all about the terroir of a region, it is amazing to note that even a country as small as Malta has terroir that varies from one vineyard to another, producing different tonalities in the wines.

What are your responsibilities as a wine specialist at Marsovin?

My work at Marsovin is varied and therefore very interesting. No day starts at 9am and no day finishes at 5pm. My work entails a certain amount of office work, whether it be organising an event or writing reports.

I am also involved with the Marsovin cellar tours. Ambassadors, bank employees, restaurateurs and government departments have all visited our cellars.

In addition, I taste new wines and compare them with wines from the same estates of previous years. Restaurants often wish to combine a particular menu with a set of Marsovin wines and I help them out in that aspect. I am also involved in actually preparing wine events, whether they are art exhibitions or seminars. While doing my work, I constantly interact with Marsovin’s oenologist and viticulturist.

What types of grapes are grown in the Marsovin estates and what type of wines are produced?

Marsovin has five estates. The Cheval Franc Estate spans over 49 tumoli and is situated on a hillside in Wardija overlooking the St Paul Islands. In this estate we grow two type of grape varieties – Cabernet Franc and Syrah. The terroir of the Cheval Franc Estate is such that it favours the growth of structured, aromatic wines. Cheval Franc is Marsovin’s thoroughbred and is produced from the Cabernet Franc grape variety. This wine is medium-bodied with peppery and herbaceous aromas.

The Ghajn Rihana Estate of 13.2 tumoli is situated between the hills of Bidnija and Wardija. It contains 10,000 vines, equally divided between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This particular terroir is fundamental in producing Marsovin’s Grand Maitre. The blend of these two grape varieties produces a full-bodied red wine, which is aged for 12 months in French oak barriques before its final release.

The Marnisi Estate is Marsovin’s largest estate, spreading over 85 tumoli of land. This estate, planted in 1992, was the first in the series of Marsovin-owned estates specifically intended for the production of premium quality wines. It is planted with over 50,000 vines, consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. From this estate, we get Marnisi, Marnisi Rosé and Antonin Noir.

The Ramla Valley Estate in Gozo spans over 38 tumoli of land, and in 2001 around 18,000 Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco grape vines were planted here. The location of this estate was chosen specifically to grow the noble grape variety Chardonnay, as the hillsides shelter the vines from the long hot summer days and the cool breeze coming from the bay helps the crop to retain its high acidity level. The fruity Antonin Blanc is from this estate.

The Wardija Valley Estate is the smallest, spanning over 15 tumoli of land (1.5 hectares) and around 7,500 vines were planted in 1999. Like the Ramla Valley Estate, this estate, situated in a valley, favours the growth of high quality Chardonnay grapes. Cassar De Malte, Malta’s first and only quality sparkling wine, is produced from this estate in the methode traditionnelle. It was crafted in memory of Chevalier Anthony Cassar, the founder of Marsovin.

Moreover, we produce indigenous wines – the grapes of which come from contracted farmers. Ulysses is Marsovin’s first Gozitan Syrah and Odyssey is Marsovin’s first Gozitan Grenache Rosé. In addition in the 1919 series, there are the indigenous Gellewza and Girgentina. The 1919 series, named after Marsovin’s foundation year, is also an art project, as each year, each wine bottle label is commissioned from a local artist.

What is the history of the Marsovin cellars?

The Marsovin cellars were built by the Order of St John in c.1620 for the storing of shipbuilding wood. Like today’s wine barrels, the wood needed to be stored somewhere with a constant temperature and humidity level. There are around 200 barrels in the cellar, all made from French oak.

However, this is not the only link Marsovin has with the Order. Ghajn Rohan Estate is situated in the place where the last battle of the Great Siege took place! In this final battle, the Turks were in the North of Malta, in St Paul’s Bay, positioning their troops for the launch of yet another attack. Stationed in Naxxar and Mdina were Knights, the Sicilian relief forces and Maltese – all waiting for the Turks to advance. Once the Turks had reached Burmarrad, all the forces met in the area of Ghajn Rihana, where Marsovin’s vineyard is situated. The Maltese forces overpowered the Turks, driving them back to their ships and bringing the Great Siege to an end.

On what other levels does Marsovin operate?

Marsovin also gives tours of the vineyards, especially of the Marnisi Estate in Marsaxlokk, which can also be used for dinners, weddings and exhibitions. The estate is especially set up with lights and amenities and the unique atmosphere can complement any special evening.

Through the 1919 series and the Caravaggio wines, Marsovin promotes Malta’s art and history. The labels of the first 1919 vintage were painted by Debbie Caruana Dingli, the second vintage by Kenneth Zammit Tabona and the third vintage, that of 2006, which was launched last June, had labels painted by Denise Borg Millo. The originals of these paintings all hang in the cellars. On the other hand, the Ulysses and Odyssey wines show Malta’s connection with Greek myth. In this way, the lesser-known qualities of Malta also come to the attention of tourists who see the bottles.

Marsovin works directly with restaurants offering fine dining. As I mentioned earlier, my work requires me to help restaurants draw up menus with specific Marsovin wines. Sometimes, restaurants take this a step further. In this case, I will go to the restaurant on the night that a social dinner is served and between each course I explain all about the different wines being served. In this way, not only is local produce being promoted but the people at the dinner, very often tourists, get to know more about Marsovin, our estates and our wines.

During these dinners, the wine is combined with cuisines from different regions, including Indian food, Arabian food and Mediterranean food.

What are your views and dreams for wine in Malta?

My dream is for Maltese people to accept Malta produced wines and order Maltese wines with food or at a wine bar. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that foreign wines are better than locally produced wines. Another dream is to have a specialised wine school on our island – a dream that has been fulfilled for Maltese wines to be classified as D.O.K., ie “Deonmazzjoni ta’ Origini Kontrollota”. The Marsovin oenologist Philip Tonna and viticulturist Chris Cremona both worked very hard to procure these three little letters, which are very important. A DOK provides a copyright for our wines and ensures that our wine is authentic.

It is important that, although I work at Marsovin, and I love Marsovin wines, I do not limit my spectrum. I like and appreciate different styles of wine.

Aaron Rizzo graduated from the Institute of Tourism Studies with a degree in management. Later, he continued his studies at the New Hampshire College in the United States of America and completed an internship in Phoenix, Arizona. He has worked in top hotels in Scotland and England. Apart from working at Marsovin, Aaron also lectures at ITS. In his free time, he enjoys socialising. A true professional, Aaron obviously has no favourite wine – rather, there are different styles of wines he loves according to a particular mood.