A delegation of Maltese farmers who visited Cyprus and Ireland, apart from Sicily, was astounded to find that the locals in these countries are completely proud of their native food and wine, while instead in Malta it would seem as if Maltese food and wine were second rate, which is definitely not the case.

Introducing the ninth edition of the Delicata Wine Festival, which will be held next week at the Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, just before the wine harvest begins, and in Nadur, Gozo, just after the end of the wine harvest, George Delicata said local winemakers have come a long way and have made many investments so that Maltese wines are today labelled among the DOK and IGT wines.

This has been a good year for wine, Mr Delicata said, without last year’s problems with tomato disease. The weather has been good in Malta and even if there was only three-quarters of the normal rain, and possibly despite last week’s extreme heat, the harvest is expected to be good.

Mr Delicata urged Maltese people to prefer Maltese food and wine and so reward farmers and producers for their ongoing investment and improvement in quality.

Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli said that for all that is said that Valletta is a ‘dead city’ after 7pm, he found that in 75 per cent of all weeks there is something going in the city. He also thanked the government for its current massive improvement works in Valletta.

Malta’s greatest wine event, the Delicata Classic Wine Festival will take place at the beautiful Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta on 5, 6, 7 and 8 August. As is the case every year, this ‘not to be missed’ event inaugurates the beginning of the Maltese grape harvest. It is a spectacular unique event that is guaranteed to keep wine drinkers of all ages happy for weeks to come.

The 9th Delicata Classic Wine Festival, which attracts thousands of people over its four-day period, will be open to the public between 7pm and 11.30pm. Simply buy a glass for €10 at the entrance (which is yours to keep) and then drink and try as many wines as you like. The last glasses will be sold at 11pm, the last wine poured at 11.30pm, and the festival closes at midnight. No glasses will be sold or alcohol poured to anyone under the age of 17.

There will be a wide range of D.O.K. Malta and Gozo quality wine brands available to taste such as Gran Cavalier, Grand vin de Hauteville, Pjazza Regina, Medina, Victoria Heights, the Maltese Falcon, Delicata’s Frizzantes, all produced from a number of locally grown grape varieties such as Syrah, Chardonnay, Grenache, Merlot, Sangiovese, Vermentino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and of course the two unique indigenous Maltese grapes, Girgentina and Gellewza.

There will also be a ‘Me & My Dolcino’ wine bar area set up, where the ever popular Dolcino Rose and Bianco wines will be available. There will also be a wine shop selling wine by the bottle to take away at special wine festival prices. The limited edition, commemorative wine ‘Kastilja’ will also be available in 75cl bottles and three-litre double magnums.

Food areas will have a range of international and Maltese dishes to choose from including suckling pig, Maltese rabbit, pasta, paella, pizza, cheese platters, desserts etc. A fully seated restaurant area, located in the Saluting Battery overlooking spectacular views of the Grand Harbour and the ancient Three Cities will also be in operation. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made in advance by contacting Island Caterers on tel. 2375 1930 or 2375 1944 or email: [email protected] – at €35 per person.

Live entertainment will be provided by some of Malta’s leading artists, including George (Pusè) Curmi and band (Sunday), William Mangion and band (Saturday), the Spiteri Lucas band (Friday), Big Band Brothers(Thursday), and Steve Cole (every night).

To celebrate the closing of the Maltese grape harvest, on 3, 4 and 5 September, the event moves to the viticultural heart of Gozo, Nadur, where Delicata’s 8th Gozo Classic Wine Festival will take place at the Nadur promenade overlooking breathtaking views of Comino and Malta.

Live entertainment will be provided by local artists including Spectrum, Synergy, Cash & Band and Steve Cole. There will also be a number of delicious food stalls and wine combinations for visitors to try as well as a rabbit restaurant operated by L’Aragosta.

A shuttle service from Mgarr Harbour to Nadur will be available throughout the festival at €2 per person return trip.