Wine is not simply just a job, but it is also a passion as for Camilleri Wines advisor Joséf Bonello. Juan Ameen, who is no slouch when it comes to delectable wines, spoke to Mr Bonello about his dedication to communicate his love for wine.

Mr Bonello explained that Camilleri Wines has always been brand-motivated.

“People know that the brands – especially Palatino – will always have varietal character, i.e. the character of the wine will always purely reflect the variety of grapes used,” he explained.

The wines were always noticed and known for their individuality but this has become even more enhanced since Camilleri Wines have started using locally grown grapes for all their wines in vintage 2005.

“Before that, we imported the grapes – just like all other local wineries did. Wineries in Malta had three options: importing grapes, wine or must - unfermented juice as pressed from grapes,” he said.

Mr Bonello explained that Malta’s climate is very favourable to growing vines but these need a good four years before wine can be produced out of the grapes.

Camilleri Wines was created in 2000 but actually started producing wine in 2001.

“Before 2005, we focused on creating our own viticultural structure. It was a great risk to import grapes from abroad but that was something that needed to be done,” he said.

The private industry took a great risk in importing wines or grapes from abroad – it meant that they had to think outside the box and be innovative, he explained.

“Importing grapes meant that it solved the problem where quality is concerned, however identity was still an issue to be tackled,” said Mr Bonello.

Identity is crucial for wines, he added. “The identity of the wines became Maltese when we started using locally grown grapes as opposed to those imported from Italy.”

Mr Bonello also spoke about the new wine that Camilleri Wines has recently launched – GWL, a Gozitan product.

“This wine has its own identity – it is not a Maltese wine but a Gozitan one and there is a subtle yet marked difference between the two identities. However, the difference will be there for those to look for it,” he said.

Even though there is not such a great distance between Malta and Gozo as there is between Malta and north Italy, GWL still has certain characteristics that Maltese wine does not have.

“Recently, especially where wine-making is concerned, there is great awareness of the microclimate, i.e. the climate changes in smaller areas of land,” he explained.

Since Gozo is further north and has a smaller landmass than Malta, it is cooler and as a result the fruit will retain the more delicate aromas and have a higher acidity, he said

Grapes grown in Malta are harvested first while the fruit in Gozo takes longer to ripen – meaning that the flavour will be more refined, he added.

Furthermore, he said, the vines in Gozo are usually covered by mist nets to protect the fruit from birds and bees.

“These are very expensive and are more commonly used in Gozo because the size of their vines is much smaller than in Malta. The mist nets create a little bit of shade that in turn makes a difference,” said Mr Bonello.

As a result of all these factors, Gozitan wine is slightly more refined and less intense than their Maltese counterparts, he said.

“You need to put your heart and passion into making good wines – it is a very challenging profession,” he said.

People who come from abroad are always surprised at the variety of wines that Malta has to offer – and these usually know what to look for.

However, said Mr Bonello, locally, there is still a lot of confusion about the Maltese identity.

“An ever-shrinking section of our population still believes that Malta cannot produce high quality wines. Today there are many wines that people who are not wine experts can still enjoy,” he said.

However, if anyone wants to take it further, then there are wines that appeal to the more delicate and trained palate, he said.

Mr Bonello is very passionate about his work. “When it comes to appreciating wine it is totally up to the person. The deeper you delve the more you want to know about the subject. The more you learn about wines, the more you will appreciate them.”

Camilleri Wines offers a range of wines that appeal to all audiences – from the wine connoisseur to the layperson.

“You can pick a more serious brand such as Laurenti or move onto a different type of wine such as Blush Rosé,” he said.

“Blush Rosè is a new concept locally – many people do not think that a Rosé can dry as many popular rosés are usually off-dry. However, even the branding of Blush Rosé is different – the snobbery of drinking wine is removed,” said Mr Bonello.

He pointed out that Camilleri Wines is the third largest winery on the island. “It is not our aim to become the first or second largest winery – we want to continue focusing on the creative aspect.”

Ever since it was set up, Camilleri Wines has tried to be as innovative as possible and as Mr Bonello remarked – results have been achieved.

To date, the company boasts a generous portfolio of six brands namely Palatino, Laurenti, La Croce, Blush Rosè, and the recently launched purely Gozitan wine gwl and late harvest dessert wine Dolce Vita. Together, these brands amount to sixteen different wines.

As yet, almost all the crop of white grapes has been harvested, and Mr Bonello said that it seems that this year’s yield is much lower than last years.

“So far we have registered a drop in quantity due to the unsettled climatic changes that we have had this past year and the chardonnay seems to be the worst hit,” he said.

He explained that a “rest period” is critical for the vines during the cold weather where they become dormant.

“This winter was not cold enough for the vines to rest – especially following the huge bumper crop we had in 2006,” he said.

However, something positive might actually come out of it. “As a result, the grapes are more intense – nature’s accidental way of offering quality,” said Mr Bonello.

At the end of the day, it is nature who has the last say, he pointed out. “We could plan as much as we want to but then we can’t control the weather. In this business you have to try and keep one step ahead of the others knowing that certain plans can only be implemented in four years time.”