The 2012 vintage Maltese white Viognier grape was pressed last week at the Delicata winery.
Relatively new to the islands, this grape has picked up a good following and performs well in the local vineyards.
Delicata has been using this variety for a few years now, but the Grand Vin de Hauteville wine, which is made from these grapes, has quickly established itself as a favourite among dry white wine drinkers.
Viognier is still a relatively-rare white grape grown almost exclusively in the Northern Rhône regions of France and further south in the Languedoc.
In 1965 the grape was almost extinct as there were only eight acres in Northern Rhône, producing just 1,900 litres of wine. But since then the popularity and price of the wine have risen and the number of plantings has increased considerably over the last few years.
The New World has also cultivated this grape, albeit in minimal amounts, with countries like the US, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Australia and even Brazil and Uruguay trying it out.
In Europe and other cooler winemaking climates, Viognier can be a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to powdery mildew. It has low and unpredictable yields and should be picked only when fully ripe.
When picked too early, the grape fails to develop the full extent of its aromas and tastes.
When picked too late, it produces wine that is oily and lacks perfume.
However, in warmer climates like that of the Languedoc, Viognier performs better but produces grapes with different characteristics.
In Malta, the Viognier is performing very well. It is a fairly hardy grape that is less susceptible to disease and it retains good acidity while obtaining good levels of natural sugar.
It is a thick-skinned variety with a good structure and is slightly more productive than other white varieties like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The resulting full-flavoured white wine also has a style of its own: it has good weight and ageing potential.
In fact, one wine expert has identified two distinct strains of Viognier: an Old World strain found in the Rhône Valley and a New World strain which is found in the Languedoc and other areas. Although made from the same grape, the two strains produce distinctly different wines.
In France, Voignier is famed for the sometimes outrageously priced white wines Condrieu and Chateau Grillet, where it is the single permitted grape variety of both appellations.
In other Rhône region wines, it is often blended with Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache blanc and Rolle, and in the Northern Rhône, the grape is sometimes blended with Chardonnay.
The majority of French Viogniers are sold as Vins de Pays des Languedoc.
In the Côte-Rôtie, up to 20 per cent of red wine blends can include Viognier, though most growers add no more than five per cent.
This is also common practice in the Yalumba wine region of Australia.