A Multitude of Muscats

     

There are many satisfying things about wine and the multitude of Muscats is one of them.  Muscats are among the oldest wine grapes on the planet, with at least one Muscat in every major wine region. 

Some familiar grape and wine names allude to "Muscat," even though they are not made from a Muscat variety, such as Muscadelle, blended with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc for Bordeaux sweet wines; Muscadet, a Loire Valley wine made from Melon de Bourgogne; and the Rhone sweetie, Muscat de Baumes-de-Venise. 

Muscat is one of few varieties that  taste of grapes.  All Muscats have what is best described as orange blossom and citrus zest note.  Muscats tend to be low in acidity, so the citrus tang can help balance the wine.  The variety Muscat Blanc sometimes has the elusive taste of rose petals, in the way they smell, not taste.  

Musqué, a grape off shot, is a French term meaning "muscat-like."  Years ago, a mini-trend in California promoted a Chardonnay mutation with a subtle musky character. 

Universally known simply as Muscat, the variety (and wine) have local names, such as Moscatel in Spain and Portugal, Moscato in Italy and Muscadel in South Africa.  Growers in Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria, grow a variety named Muscat Ottonel. 

But no matter how it's spelled, the versatile Muscat grape is used for dry, sweet, sparkling and fortified wine. There is a multitude of Muscats and at least 60 synonyms, many of them tied to a specific place, like Muscat d'Alsace.  At the top of the order are Muscat Blanc and Muscat of Alexandria, the two varieties responsible for most of the world's best Muscats.

Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, usually shortened to Muscat Blanc, is the finest of all Muscats for making a wine with clearly defined flavors.  As the name implies, Muscat Blanc has small round berries, packed with flavor.  Alsatian producers Zind-Humbrecht and Trimbach have Muscat wines made from Muscat Blanc. Here are a few more Muscat Blancs, some by other names:

France:  Muscat de Frontignan is the name used in parts of France and in South Africa; Muscat d'Alsace is a synonym for Muscat Blanc;  Muscat de Lunel, Languedoc; Muscat de Rivesaltes, Pyrenees Orientales and Aude; in California, Muscat Blanc is called Muscat Canelli; Muscardin, a red variety used in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 

Italy:  Moscato d'Asti, a sparkling wine made from Moscato Bianco in Piemonte; in Tuscany's Montalcino the name for Muscat Blanc is Moscadello.

California: Muscat of Hamburg is also called Black Hamburg; Orange Muscat, with distinctive orange blossom characteristics.  Popular examples of these two Muscats are made by California's Quady Winery.

Muscat of Alexandria, a commonly known variety in U.S. wine making,  doesn't quite have the refinement of Muscat Blanc, but it is widely grown in California, Australia, South Africa, Italy and many other places.  

Australia's outstanding Liqueur Muscat, a dark, rich and sweet fortified wine, is made from Muscat of Alexandria by Seppelt, Brown Brothers and McWilliams, among others. 

Pisco is a popular drink enjoyed throughout Chile and Peru.  Made from Muscat of Alexandria, Pisco  is distilled fermented grape juice.  Enjoyed as an on-the-rocks drink, Pisco is also the base for many cocktails, like Pisco Sour. 

                                                                         

Make your own Pisco Sour with Pisco Porton, Capel Pisco or Barsol Pisco , sweet and sour mix or freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice, blended to your taste.

Muscats are loaded with character, similar to Gewürztraminer, making them challenging to pair with food. Dry Muscats, with spice and citrus, are a good choice with Indian food and lightly spiced Asian dishes, like Thai curries.  Sweeter Muscats, such as sparkling Muscat,  are best as dessert or matched with  fruit pies, fresh peaches and apricots. 

Pixabay photos

 

More on AI & Wine: The hottest topic today in technology is the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.  The question for AI and wine is: What is the relationship of AI and wine now and in the future and how will it affect wine production and consumption?  This is only part of the answer.

Recent articles in such varied publications as "New York Times" and "Morning Ag Clips" report that AI is being used by companies like John Deere to develop autonomous tractors.  Mason Earles, co-founder of AI-powered farm management platform Scout says AI can help grape growers with virus problems in vineyards and predicting yields.

The downside of the AI juggernaut in wine comes from Angelo Camillo, a business professor at Sonoma (California) State University.  Camillo warns that small family-owned wineries, which he says account for 80% of the wine business, do not understand AI technology and cannot afford AI investment and education.  Can an AI driven grape picking bot be far behind?

 

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