Moscato, Muscat

The grape, and the wine it produces, is known as Moscato, Muscat, Moscatel, and even Muscadel. All of these refer to the same general family of grapes, a family which has many variations and clonal varieties, but all of which are known for a sweet "musky" quality. The general name for the entire Muscat family is Vitis vinifera; it is an old grape, a very old grape, and it is used frequently for wine, fortified wine, grape juice, and raisins. Muscat is often the grape that forms of the base of commercially available "White Grape juice," and it is the base white wine that after fermentation becomes Italy's sparkling wine Asti Spumanti. It is the sweet grapes offered to Dantès, the hero of Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo," who, suspecting poison, replied "Madam, I never eat muscatel grapes."

Moscato, or Muscat, while it can be a dry wine, is more typically sweet and presented as a dessert wine. Traditionally Muscat is served with fruit (especially peaches, lichee and strawberries), sorbets on the tart side, and light cheeses. I have a friend who swears Moscato is her favorite pairing with blue cheese. Moscato is increasingly being served with Asian and spicy dishes when one might traditionally look towards a Gewürtztraminer.

There really is astonishing variety in the basic Muscat grape family, including a color range from a very pale grape, to an almost black grape. The grape is so very adaptable— used in wines that are sweet, dry, fortified, low ABV, and sparkling—and so very wide-spread in terms of growing areas, that it is certainly one of the most ancient of cultivated grapes, one that was known to both the ancient Greeks and the Romans. Alsace is known for producing particularly fine dry wines from Muscat. Portugal and Spain are associated with sweet fortified wines known as Moscatel or Muscatel. California wineries have had notable succes with Muscat in the San Joaquin valley, where both Orange Muscat (which really does have a hint of orange in its aroma and flavor) and Black Muscat are grown. Conundrum wine, which is most easily found at Trader Joe's is a blend that includes California Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Carlo Rossi occasionally rleases a Red Muscat Wine. Sutter Home also produces a California Moscato, as does Barefoot Wine. Also in California, James David Cellars produces a Muscat Blanc. In Washington state, Latah Creek Winery in Spokane makes two Muscat wines, one of them an Orange Muscat. Eaton Hills Winery in Washington's Rattlesnake Hills also makes an Orange Muscat.