Muscat: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
| Muscat, aka Muscat blanc, and more fully known as, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, this is referring to its characteristically small grapes and seeds. There are two hundred grape varieties, with colours ranging from white to yellow and pink. As its origin is some what confused the meaning of the name is disputed. My favourite explanation is the Italian mosca, meaning fly, because its sweetness attracts all manner of insects.  Sources suggest the grape as originating in Persia or Ancient Egypt, others say it was propagated by Greeks and Romans. Columella and Pliny the Elder described a variety of it that was sweet and attracted bees. The first acknowledged documented evidence is from a 13thc English Franciscan scholar while he was studying in Saxony. Jancis Robinson suggests its origin was Greece, and says it is a grape variety referenced in classical times as being attractive to insects for its heady smell and impressive ripeness. It is said to have been extensive in southern Gaul during the Roman period. By the Middle Ages it had become prominent in Piemonte Italy and Roussillon France. One of the best known is called, in French, Muscat blanc à Petits Grains, in Spanish it is Moscatel de Grano Menudo, and in Italian as Moscato d’Asti, Moscato di Canelli or Moscato Bianco. Spain prefers the coarser member of the family, Muscat of Alexandria. It is blended to add aroma and fruitiness to a numbers of wines, for example with white zinfandel in California and gewürztraminer in Alsace. |
Taste/smell: The usual taste is said to be ‘grapey’ with hints of honeysuckle, lemon, Mandarin orange blossom, peach and pear. Others describe the taste as having a sweet, musky flavour. Its Blanc varietyhas a range of citrus, floral and spice aromas. Varieties/Mutations:  Muscat of Alexandria – Young shoot tips have a high density of prostrate hairs. Young leaves are bronze in colour, adult leaves have three or five lobes, with an open or closed V-shaped petiole sinus. It has round-shaped berries.  Muscat d’Ottonel Credited from the Ottoman Empire, yet actually a cross that was achieved in the Loire – between a lesser-known Muscat and Chasselas. | Description: Image source: www.plantgrape.fr It buds early and ripens late so it needs a long growing season and requires canopy management across this period. Its grapes are highly aromatic and have high sugar levels, its small berries can take on a golden hue, they grow in grow in elongated bunches upon the vine. Usually white or yellowish in colour, some versions have a pink, reddish or even a pale brown hue. Young shoot tips have a high density of prostrate hairs. Young leaves are bronze in colour, adult leaves have three or five lobes, with an open or closed V-shaped petiole sinus. It has the round-shaped berries.  Image source: www.plantgrape.fr |
| Muscat producing countries: Big Five Producers: (overall 42% of vineyards, 64% of wine production and 41% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Spain: Andalucia, Castilla-La Mancha and Valencia. France: Alsace, Langueoc, Provence, Roussillon and Vaucluse Italy: Oltrepò Pavese, Piedmont, Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany and Valle d’Aosta USA: California, Oregon and Washington. Chile: Elqui Valley, Itata Valley and Limari Valley. Next Ten Largest Producers: (with big five, responsible overall for 75% of vineyards, 88% of wine production, 64% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Argentina: Buenos Aires, La Rioja and Salta. Australia: Grampians, Glenrowan, Hunter Valley, King Valley and Rutherglen. China: Jiaozhi, Shaanxi and Xichang. Germany: Pfalz. India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. New Zealand: Gisborne and Marlborough. Portugal: Algarve, Douro and Setúbal. Romania: Banat, Drăgăşan and Transylvania, South Africa: Constantia. Turkey: Aegean. Others countries: Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Moldova, North Macedonia, Peru, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay….  Image source: starkbros.com | Grape is also known as: Alpianae de los Romanos, Barzing Bjala Tamjanka, Barzsing, Beala Tameanka, Bela Dinka, Beli Muskat, Belii Muscatnii, Beyaz Misket, Bornova Misketi, Brown Muscat, Busuioaca, Chungi, Csikos Muskotaly, Csikos Zoeld Szagos, Dinka Bela, Early Silver Frontignan, Frontignan, Gelber Muskateller, Gelber Weihrauch, Gruner Muskateller, Hazai Muskotaly, Honi Muskotaly, Irmes, Joenica, Joszagu, Katzendreckler, Kedves Muskotaly, Khungi, Kilianstraube, Kustidini, Ladannyi, Lunel, Misket, Moscata Bianca, Moscatel Branco, Moscatel Castellano, Moscatel Commun, Moscatel de Canelli, Moscatel de Douro, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel de Grano Pequino, Moscatel do Douro, Moscatel Fino, Moscatel Galego, Moscatel Menudo, Moscatel Menudo Blanco, Moscatel Morisco, Moscato, Moscato bianco, Moscato Bianco Commune, Moscato bianco dell’ Elba, Moscato d’ Arqua, Moscato d’ Asti, Moscato dei Colli Euganei, Moscato di Canelli, Moscato di Montalcino, Moscato di Sardegna, Moscato di Trani, Moschato Aspro, Moschato Samou, Moschoudi, Muscat, Muscat à Petits Grains blancs, Muscat Belii, Muscat blanc Commun, Muscat blanc du Valais, Muscat blanc à Petit Grains, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Canelli, Muscat d’ Alsace, Muscat d’ Alsace blanc, Muscat de Die, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Lunel, Muscat de Narbonne, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Samos, Muscat du Puy de Dome, Muscat Hatif du Puy de Dome, Muscat Lunel, Muscat Ottonel (Hungary), Muscat Psilo, Muscat à Petit Grains, Muscat à Petit Grains Ronds, Muscatel Branco, Muskadel, Muskat Beli, Muskat Frontnyanskii, Muskat Lyunel, Muskat Rannii, Muskat Zluty, Muskateller Gelb, Muskateller Weiss, Muskota, Muskotaly, Muskuti, Myskett, Ranfler, Rozsdas Muskotaly, Saint Jacques blanc, Sarga Muskotaly, Sargamuskotaly, Sari Muscateller, Schmeckende, Seidentraube, Szargos Veirer, Tamaiioasa Alba, Tamaioza, Tămâioasă Ottonel (Romania),Tamianka, Tamiiosa Alba, Tamiiosa de Dragasani, Tamiiosa de Moldava, Tamiioasa Romaneasca, Tamyanka (Bulgaria, Serbia), Wanzenweinbeer, Weihrauch Gelb, Weirer, Weisse Muskateller, Weisse Muskttraube, Weisser Muskateller, White Frontignan, Zoruna, Zuti Muskat |
Image source: metaxa.com
Muscat: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
