SC - 16th Century recipes a few questions

[Decker, Terry D.]

> Okay, I'm going to display the depth of my ignorance of wine, but
> since Sabina Welser specifically mentioned a sweet red wine for the
> strawberry tart wouldn't it make sense, if Malmsey or Malavosia was
> hard to find, to substitute another sweet red wine? Would using a
> sweet white wine make a big difference in the outcome? 
> 
> Valoise
> 
In your translation, I see nothing to suggest a sweet red wine.  In each
case, I have found where wine is mentioned, you have left the type or name
of the wine in place.

Modernly, Malavosia is a white wine with a nice golden color and a delicate
but full flavor.  This wine has been known by versions of the name Malvasia
for centuries.  Malmsey is a recent name, thanks to the British.  True
Malvasia from Madeira is hard to find, but there are some California
vintages made from Malvasian grapes.

If Sabina Welser refers to a sweet red wine as Malavosia, she is probably
using the term as a synonym for Madeira, a generic term for wines produced
in the Madeiras.

Bear