Talk:Malvasia

Removed from article:

A butt of wine (from the medieval French and Italian botte) is a large cask (or barrel) holding two hogsheads of wine. A hogshead varied in size but today is most commonly 63 U.S. gallons, so a butt is now usually 126 U.S. gallons or 108 imperial gallons.

This is true but why is it here? Rmhermen 10:03 Aug 20, 2002 (PDT)

Because the only reason any of us cares about Malmsey is because of George "Butt of Malmsey" Clarence who was allegedly drowned in one in the Tower of London, and scholars have wasted (dare I say it?) butts of ink on whether it's possible to drown in a butt of wine. -- isis

Then include a statement about that in the article. As it stands it has nothing to do with Malmsey. Rmhermen 14:01 Aug 20, 2002 (PDT)

Okay, I understand now what the problem was, and I've provided the missing link. Thanks for pointing it out.
Does anyone know whether Malmsey (1) is a fortified wine now and/or (2) was a fortified wine then? Some of the sources I found called it a "light" and others a "strong" wine, and some of the current catalogs list it as a fortified wine, and some of the older materials refer to it as a sherry and others as a port. Help! Is there an oenophile in the house? -- isis