Muscat
Of
the four principal varieties of the muscat
grape, including Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat
Blanc, Muscat Hamburg, and Muscat Ottonel, the
most widely propagated and also most
representative of the family character is Muscat
Blanc, known as Muscat Frontignan in
France and Moscato di Canelli in Italy.
Each muscat
produces, with subtle variation, wines with the
distinct, intense, aromatic, sweet, and
easily-recognized scent of muscat and, unusual
for most wine varieties, that actually taste
like grapes. Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat
Hamburg are, in fact, cultivated as table
grapes, as well as for making wine.
Muscat is a
very ancient variety and, with its strong and
distinctive perfume, was probably one of the
first to be identified and cultivated. Nearly
every Mediterranean country has a famous wine
based on muscat and varying from light and bone
dry, to low-alcohol sparkling versions, to very
sweet and alcoholic potions.
The muscat vine is not very
vigorous in most soil types, especially sandy mixtures, and
seems to prefer damp, deep soils. It also falls victim quite
easily to any of several vine diseases. Normally early in
budding, muscat may also suffer from Spring frosts; muscat
Ottonel is particularly susceptible to shatter
or coulure.
All things considered, muscat would not seem to be a grape
that would be cultivated so widely as it is.
The full name
is Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
and the berries are quite small and
round, but not always white. The spectrum
includes pale green, pale yellow, golden, pink,
red, brown, and black berries. Some vines
produce fruit that can be different colored each
vintage.
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Muscat
Smell and/or Flavor
Elements
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Varietal
Aromas/Flavors:
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Processing
Bouquets/Flavors:
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Perfume:
terpine
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(best
if not aged in wood)
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Spice:
coriander
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.
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Fruit:
peach, orange
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.
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California had
barely 100 acres of muscat blanc in 1961, over
400 by 1971. Since 1981, muscat blanc acreage
has been fairly steady at 1,100 to 1,300 acres.
Muscat orange, which has a distinct orange
blossom aroma is grown on 135 acres. Muscat of
Alexandria, which has much less distinctive
aroma and flavor than the other muscat
varieties, but thrives in warm growing areas, is
planted to over 5,000 acres of California
vineyard. It sets a very large crop of fruit
that can get very sweet, but the flavor is
merely grapey.
by
Jim
LaMar
