Muscat is an ancient grape variety that has been carried to nearly every wine region of the world. It is used primarily to produce sweet wines. Muscat’s ability to produce a range of sweet wines has made it very popular with consumers in recent years, propelling the grape to double-digit growth in the US market. Muscat is also capable of producing excellent dry wines, although these are less well-known than the sweet versions.
Having mutated many times, Muscat forms a family of several related varieties, of which the most prevalent and well-known members are Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (“white Muscat with small berries”), Muscat of Alexandria, and Muscat Ottonel. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is generally considered to be of a higher quality than the others, but all Muscats share a characteristic powerful floral aroma and, often, the scent of fresh white grapes in the finished wine. This grape seems to perform best in warm-to-hot climates, although the Ottonel variety does well in cool climates.
Dessert Muscats are produced in many countries; well-known examples include several vins doux naturels from southern France, Rutherglen Muscats from Australia, and Moscatels from the south of Spain. Perhaps the best-known Muscat-based wine is the wildly popular, slightly sparkling, moderately sweet Moscato d’Asti of northwestern Italy.
Muscat Profile
Well-known examples: southern France, northern Italy, Australia
Top-producing countries: Italy, France, Chile, Australia
Characteristic aromas: musk, honey, orange blossom, floral, apricot, table grapes
Acidity: low to medium
Alcohol: medium to high
Please check out those Moscato wines available at the Warehouse:
- Deakin Estate Moscato
- Azahara Moscato
- Angas Brut Moscato
- Yalumba Christobels Moscato
Source: Certified specialist of Wine 2021 by Society of Wine Educator (SWE)
