To kick off 2020, we have the original wine grape, the one from which so many were derived: MUSCAT! In the show we discuss the three main types of Muscat and the wines and regions that you need to seek out to get a taste of this ancient, delicious, complex grape. 

As M.C. Ice requests in the middle of the show...here are the notes! 

What is Muscat? Overview

• A grape from which derives a complicated family of grapes that includes over 200 varieties of all colors
• It was most likely a Greek grape, brought to the south of France and Sicily by the Phoenicians
• It's known for its floral perfume and grapey flavor. The grape is spicy with orange notes, and has relatively low acidity
• Styles range from dry to late harvest to fortified to sparkling
• Berries are gold, pink, or black and the variation within vines, mean flavors can vary

 

The main types of Muscat:

1. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is the oldest grape

• Needs a long growing season, disease prone, doesn’t like humidity
• The most refined, classic Muscat, it is small berried, with a delicate but layered aroma
• Also known as: Moscato Bianco, came to Italy in the 1300s
• Common grapes derived from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: Moscato Giallo, Aleatico (red), Mammolo (red)

2.  Muscat of Alexandria

• Natural cross of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Axina de Tres Bias, old black table grape grown on Sardegna, Malta, Greek Islands
• Not from Alexandria in Egypt! 
• Mid budding, late ripening, likes heat, big bunches, big berries, great for heat. Susceptible to powdery mildew, bunch rot, bugs, good with drought
• Less refined than Muscat à Petits Grains: sweet but not complex, less subtle – more geranium notes. Makes sticky sweet wines, rose- or orange-like or like geranium and lily of the valley
• Also known as Zibbibo in Sicily. 
• Related grapes:  Catarratto Bianco (Etna), Grillo (Sicily), Bombino Bianco (Sicily, Southern Italy), Schiava Grossa, Malvasia del Lazio, Cereza (Argentina), Torrontés (both clones)

3. Muscat Ottonel: 

• Bred in Loire in 1852, earliest ripener, planted in Alsace often  paler, with less aroma than the other varieties -- which can produce a softer wine

4. Muscat of Hamburg

• Black, table grape, low quality in Eastern Europe

 

Muscat in the Vineyard: 

• Hard to grow: Crops erratically, low acidity, can be a tough blender
• Pink, black, red mutations exist around the world
• Early budding, mid ripening, susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis, mites, small berries
• Climate: Prefers warm Mediterranean climates – south of France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Australia
• Soils: Different types will yield different flavors. Limestone or calcareous rock, along with sand make lighter, fresher versions.  Clays, granites, can yield richer versions. 
• If the grape is overcropped it loses acidity and aroma and is a boring mess. 

 

Muscat by Place: 

France

• 18,829 acres in France/7620 ha
• Almost all Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
• Rhône: Muscat de Beaumes de Venise (fortified)
• Roussillon & Languedoc: Vins doux Naturels of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains in Frontignan, Lunel, Mireval, St. Jean de Minervois
  • Rivesaltes: Vin doux Naturel of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains blended with Muscat d'Alexandria in Rivesaltes
  • Clairette de Die Sparkling of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
• Corsica: fortified wines
• Alsace: Muscat Ottonel and Muscat à Petits Grains. Wines are floral, fresh, grapey, and herbal with spice. Dry. 

 

Italy 

• 32,816 acres/13280 ha – Mostly Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
• Piemonte: sweet, Asti Spumante (sparkling), Moscato d’Asti (semi sparkling, sweet, good dessert or cheese wine)
• Trentino Alto Adige: Use Rosenmuskateller: variation of the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains -- rose aroma, still wine, Moscato Giallo/Goldmuskateller: orange scented dry or sweet wines
• Valle d’Aosta: Passito style (grapes dried on mats in the sun, raisined and then pressed)
• Montalcino:  DOC for dry, sparkling, sweet, late-harvest wines of Muscat
• Sicily: Zibbibo/Muscat of Alexandria for dry wines, Moscato di Pantelleria – passito style from a small historic island. 

 

Spain 

• Grown all over Spain as Moscatel –Moscatel d’Alejandria
• Málaga: sweet speciality of the south
• Jerez/Sherry:  Moscatel used for color and sweetness, can be made alone as a sweet, passito style wine

 

Portugal

• Small amount used in white Port and other fortified wines
• Setúbal makes a fortified wine from it, tasty dry wines 

 

Other Old World places: Germany, Austria, Greece

 

Australia

• Rutherglen and Glenrowan in northeastern Victoria
• Rutherglen Muscat: Four tier quality system -- basic, classic, grand, rare. Like figs, coffee, blackberry, chocolate, delicious, with acidity

 

South Africa

• Vin de Constance from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: Late harvest
  • Probably the descendents of the famed vines of  colonial days in the 1600s 
• Worcester, Olifants River: Muscat of Alexandria/ Hanepoot for bulk, used for dry, sweet, fortified, table grapes

 

US: Central Valley for bulk white. Some Orange Muscat which is a relative of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

 

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