The name Malvasia derives from an ancient port in the Peloponnese, Monemvasia (or Monovasia), a nerve center of Genoese and Venetian trade, from which the renowned sweet wines of Crete (Candia), made by drying the grapes, departed. From there the wines reached Venice and all of Italy. In particular, the Venetians are responsible for using this name to indicate first the sweet and alcoholic wines coming from the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and then also the places in Venice where the trade took place.

The name Malvasia derives from an ancient port in the Peloponnese, Monemvasia (or Monovasia), a nerve center of Genoese and Venetian trade, from which the renowned sweet wines of Crete (Candia), made by drying the grapes, departed. From there the wines reached Venice and all of Italy. In particular, the Venetians are responsible for using this name to indicate first the sweet and alcoholic wines coming from the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and then also the places in Venice where the trade took place.