Muscat (grape): Difference between revisions
→Japanese muscat-flavored products: Ice tea to iced tea. The tea has ice in it, thus it is iced. |
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[[File:Muscat grape wineyard.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Muscat grape wineyard in [[Mendoza province|Mendoza]], Argentina]] |
[[File:Muscat grape wineyard.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Muscat grape wineyard in [[Mendoza province|Mendoza]], Argentina]] |
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===Table and sparkling wines=== |
===Table and sparkling wines=== |
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Muscat grapes are one of the major varieties grown for [[table wine]] in [[Chile]], and is a minor variety in [[California]] and [[Italy]]. In Italy, it is widely used in sweeter [[sparkling wines]] like [[ |
Muscat grapes are one of the major varieties grown for [[table wine]] in [[Chile]], and is a minor variety in [[California]] and [[Italy]]. In Italy, it is widely used in sweeter [[sparkling wines]] like [[Asti (wine)]]. Their "grapey" quality makes many wines made from Muscat easy to identify. [[Moscato d'Asti]] is a lightly sparkling (''frizzante'') variety of Muscat, made from the Moscato Bianco (Muscato Canelli) grape of the [[Piedmont]] region of Italy. This region has a [[DOCG]] designation and produces [[Barbera d'Asti]], Dolcetto d’Asti, and Asti. In [[Lithuania]], it is also used for making a [[sparkling wine]] called [[Alita (company)|Alita]]. |
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===Dessert and fortified wines=== |
===Dessert and fortified wines=== |
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Revision as of 21:49, 28 November 2012
| Muscat | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 Black muscat grapes | |
| Color of berry skin | varied |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
The Muscat variety of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma. Muscat grapes are grown around the world. The breadth and number of varieties of muscat suggest that it is perhaps the oldest domesticated grape variety, and there are theories that most families within the Vitis vinifera grape variety are descended from the Muscat variety.[1]
Varieties
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (also called Muscat Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Frontignan, Moscato Bianco, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat d'Alsace, Muskateller, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel Rosé, Muscat Lunel, Sárgamuskotály, Moscatell de gra petit and Yellow Muscat). This grape is used for the wines: Asti, clairette de die, and muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise. It is also used for some Tokaji wines.
- Muscat Rose à Petit Grains, Muscat Rouge à Petit Grains, Moscato Giallo (or Goldmuskateller), Moscato Rosa (or Rosenmuskateller) are thought to be closely related colored versions of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.
- Moscatel de Setúbal and Moscatel de Favaios (Moscatel Galego) are the most widely consumed varieties in Portugal, usually served in bars or as an aperitif at restaurants.
- Muscat of Alexandria (also called Moscatel, Moscatel Romano, Moscatel de Málaga, Muscat Gordo Blanco, Hanepoot, Lexia, Moscatel, Gordo, and Zibibbo) This grape is used for sherry, moscatel or muscatel wines, Moscatel de Valencia, Muscatel Passito and other Muscatel liqueurs and also as a raisin and table grape.
- Muscat Ottonel (also called Moskately) Used for dessert wines in Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and Ukraine, and dry wines in Alsace, Slovakia and Hungary.
- Black Muscat (also called Muscat Hamburg, Moscato di Amburgo) Used for some Eastern European wine but mainly for table grapes in Italy, Australia and France. A dessert wine made from this grape is produced in California and Cyprus.
- Orange Muscat. Used for dessert wines in California and Australia. Not surprisingly, has something of an orange aroma.
- Muscat Crocant. Used for dessert wine of the same name (Muskat Krokan) in Serbia, where it grows only on Pearl Island (Biserno Ostrvo) on Tisza River.
- Moravian Muscat. The most widespread new wine cultivar in Czech Republic.
All together there are a couple of hundred Muscat varieties recorded, with many overlapping synonyms.
Muscat wines
Table and sparkling wines
Muscat grapes are one of the major varieties grown for table wine in Chile, and is a minor variety in California and Italy. In Italy, it is widely used in sweeter sparkling wines like Asti (wine). Their "grapey" quality makes many wines made from Muscat easy to identify. Moscato d'Asti is a lightly sparkling (frizzante) variety of Muscat, made from the Moscato Bianco (Muscato Canelli) grape of the Piedmont region of Italy. This region has a DOCG designation and produces Barbera d'Asti, Dolcetto d’Asti, and Asti. In Lithuania, it is also used for making a sparkling wine called Alita.
Dessert and fortified wines
Muscat grapes are used to make a variety of sweet dessert wines in various parts of the world. Typically, these are fortified wines, though some sweet late harvest and noble rot wines are also made from Muscat grapes. Officially, Muscato is not classified as a dessert wine.
Muscat is widely grown in Portugal and Spain, where the grape and the wines produced from it are known as Moscatel or Muscatel. Moscatels made in these countries are typically sweet and fortified. Among these wines is Moscatel de Setubal a sweet fortified wine from the Setúbal Peninsula in Portugal. Moscatel de Favaios is a Moscatel from the Douro Region. A Moscatel Madeira wine has also been produced on the island of Madeira, although Moscatel has become increasingly rare there over the last century.
In Spain, sweet fortified Moscatels are produced in a number of regions, notably Malaga and Jerez, and are sometimes made using the solera system. A variety of muscat is one of the varietals used in the production of sherry and according to Spanish law, it is one of only three grapes varietals allowed for this purpose.
Muscat is successfully grown in California's east-central San Joaquin Valley, where orange muscat and black muscat varieties form the basis of premium dessert wines.
France also produces a number of sweet fortified vins doux naturels from muscat grapes, such as Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Lunel, Muscat de Mireval, and Muscat de St-Jean Minervois.
In Australia, sweet fortified muscat wines are produced in the Rutherglen region, with older wines made according to the solera system.[2]
Brandies and liqueurs
Muscat wine is also the basis for Pisco, a brandy-like drink made in Peru and Chile, and Metaxa, a brandy-like drink made in Greece.
A blend of Muscatel wine and mead is called Muscadore.
Chemistry
Muscat grapes contain a number of compounds that give muscat wines their distinct flavor.
Muscat grapes have been found to have high concentrations of antioxidant flavonoids, in quantities as high as many varieties of red grapes. This means that the possible beneficial effects of red wine consumption may also be present in muscat wines.[3]
Muscat wines by country
Australia
Brown Muscat has pride of place in north-east Victoria's Rutherglen district. High quality Muscats are also produced in other mainland states. Riverina producer Miranda makes a raisined Muscat in passito style.
Austria
In Austria Muscat wines ranging from dry to very sweet are produced. The grape is mostly grown in Southern Styria as "Muskateller".
Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan Muscat wine is made from the locally grown grape. The oldest wine factory in Azerbaijan produces the brand "XAN Maral Göl Muscat Wine".
Bulgaria
Muscat Ottonel is grown in the Black Sea region and in the Danubian Plain, while Muscatel is a well-known style in the Rose Valley.
Cyprus
Muscat dessert wines are also produced in Cyprus, analogous to those produced in Greece. Also dessert wine from Black Muscat can be found in Cyprus
Croatia
Croatia has Muscat plantings for dry, semidry and sweet styles. "muškat ruža porečki" (English: Muscat Rose) is produced in mid Istra, a peninsula on the north Adriatic coast in Croatia.
Czech Republic
Moravian Muscat is mostly grown in the region of South Moravia.
France
Muscat is best known for producing Vins Doux Naturels (Natural Sweet Wines) in Frontignan, Lunel, Mireval, Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, Rivesaltes, Beaumes de Venise and Cap Corse. Muscat d'Alsace, which is primarily dry but can also be made in sweeter styles (Vendange tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles)
Greece
Muscat dessert wines (moschato) are produced on Samos, Rhodes, Patras and Cephalonia. Dry Muscat table wine is produced on Lemnos. A number of towns are named Moschaton (Μοσχάτο) after the Greek name for the grapes.
Hungary
In Hungary Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is grown mostly in Tokaj, Mátra and Balaton wine regions under the name of Muscat Lunel or Sárgamuskotály (Yellow Muscat) in Hungarian. Sárgamuskotály wines can range from light, dry and refreshing to late harvest sweet or even botrytized dry or sweet wines. Botrytized Sárgamuskotály is often an ingredient in Tokaji sweet and "aszú" wines.
Italy
Muscat (Moscato) grows throughout Italy in various forms. In dessert form it is either passito or fortified. It is used in the sparkling wines Asti and Moscato d'Asti.
Japan
Muscat of Alexandria is grown in Okayama Prefecture for juices and sweet white wines.
Lebanon
Moscatel, from Ksara [4], a late-harvested, fortified wine made from Muscat and Gewürztraminer. The nose is floral with citrus aromas, ripe melon and honey. It goes perfectly with foie gras, Roquefort and puddings.
Moldova
Moldova wine producers offer various dry and sweet Muscat wines.
New Zealand
Muscat is used for dessert wines.
North Africa
Fortified Muscat wines are produced in Tunisia and Morocco.
Portugal
Muscat (Moscatel) makes the much-revered Moscatel de Setubal and Moscatel de Favaios among others.
Romania
Romania has Muscat plantings for various dry and sweet styles. Among the most advertised varieties of Muscat produced in Romania are the wines from the regions Jidvei, Murfatlar and Dealu Mare.
Serbia
Muscat wines are known locally as Tamjanika. They are grown mainly in the Župa region of central Serbia, near Mount Kopaonik and also in the Negotin region in the Danubian basin.
Slovakia
Yellow Muscat grape variety is registered in Slovakia since 1941, which authorized for cultivation in the Tokaj wine region.
Slovenia
In Slovenia muscat wines are called Rumeni Muškat where rumeni refers to the yellow colour of the wine (as English Yellow Muscat or Italian Muscat Giallo). It is grown in Haloze, Kozjak and other parts of the Drava valley, lower Sava Valley and Slovene Littoral. In the Littoral, grapes are sometimes picked later in the autumn to reach higher sugar levels. The wine is called Sladki Muškat where sladki (meaning sweet in English) refers to the sweet taste of the wine. Muscat Ottonel is grown in some parts of Drava Valley.
Spain
Fortified Muscat (Moscatel (Spanish)) is produced in Andalusia, the Valencian Community, Navarre, Aragón and Catalonia, and the Canary Islands.
It is also used to produce some dry white wines — sometimes blended with other grape varieties.
South Africa
Muscat is known as Muscadel or Hanepoot (Literally: Cockerel's Foot, reputedly from the shape of the vine's leaves, although there is a theory that it is a corruption of hanekloot which means: Cockerel's Testicle from the shape of the grapes themselves), and can be either red or white. Like Australian Muscats, these can be high-quality fortified wines while Constantia is known for late-harvest Muscat of great standing.
Turkey
Muscat grapes are produced in Ankara and Central Anatolian Region.
Ukraine
The Crimea region is home to dessert wines of reverence, with white, pink and black Muscat being given pride of place.
United States
Muscat and Muscat hybrids are grown across the United States, with California being a large producer of both fine wines and bulk wines.
Japanese muscat-flavored products
In Japans range from a muscat-flavored Calpis and sweets, to muscat-flavored iced tea sold at fast food restaurants.
The color usually associated with muscat-flavored products in Japan is green.
See also
References
- ^ J. Robinson Vines Grapes & Wines pg 183 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1-85732-999-6
- ^ Rutherglen Muscat Classification — Solera system
- ^ "Researchers Develop White Wine with Cholesterol-Lowering Benefits". Science Daily. 2001-04-13. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
- ^ Mostacal, a sweet Fortified Wine from Ksara Lebanon
External links
- Muscats Du Monde—website of an international Muscats competition
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