The muscat family of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera are widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. They range in color from white to almost black, but almost always have a pronounced sweet floral aroma. Muscat grapes are grown around the world in Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Australia, California, Hungary, Canada and other places. The breadth and number of varieties of muscat suggest that it is very old, perhaps the oldest domesticated grape variety. There are theories that most families within the Vitis vinifera grape family are descended from the Muscat family. ^[1] Several things are known as Muscat: Muscat, or Mascat is the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, also known as sultanate of Muscat. ... Species Vitis acerifolia Vitis aestivalis Vitis amurensis Vitis arizonica Vitis x bourquina Vitis californica Vitis x champinii Vitis cinerea Vitis x doaniana Vitis girdiana Vitis labrusca Vitis x labruscana Vitis lincecumii Vitis monticola Vitis mustangensis Vitis x novae-angliae Vitis palmata Vitis riparia Vitis rotundifolia Vitis rupestris Vitis shuttleworthii Vitis... Binomial name Vitis vinifera L. For thousands of years, the fruit and plant of Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine, have been harvested for both medicinal and nutritional value; its history is intimately entwined with the history of wine. ... A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... Raisins Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Missing image Image:Ripe grapes thumbnail. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Muscat Wines

Muscat is widely grown in Portugal and Spain, where the grape and the wines produced from it are known as Moscatel or Muscatel. 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 is also produced on the island of Madeira, although Moscatel has become increasingly rare there over the last century. A fortified wine is a wine to which additional alcohol has been added, most commonly in the form of brandy (a spirit distilled from wine). ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Península de Setúbal  - District or A.R. Setúbal Mayor Maria das Dores Meira  - Party CDU Area 171. ... The Douro at Oporto The Douro (Spanish Duero, Latin Durius, Portuguese Douro) is one of the major rivers of Spain and Portugal, flowing from its source near Soria across central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Oporto. ... Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in Madeira. ... Motto: Das ilhas, as mais belas e livres (Of the islands, the most beautiful and free) Anthem: A Portuguesa (national) Hino da Região Autónoma da Madeira (local) Capital (largest city) Funchal Portuguese Government Autonomous region  - President Alberto João Jardim Independence    - Settled 1420   - Autonomy 1976  Area  - Total 797...

A variety of muscat is one of only three grapes allowed for making sherry. Sherry solera Sherry is a type of wine originally produced in and around the town of Jerez, Spain; and hence in Spanish it is called Vino de Jerez. The towns Persian name during the Rustamid period was Xerex (Shariz, in Persian شريش), from which both sherry and Jerez are derived. ...

In Australia, producers in Rutherglen use muscat grapes to make a highly regarded fortified wine of the same name using the solera system.^[2] Muscat grapes are one of the major varieties grown for table wine in Chile, and is a minor variety in California and Italy. Rutherglen is a small town in northeastern Victoria, Australia, near the Murray River border with New South Wales. ... A fortified wine is a wine to which additional alcohol has been added, most commonly in the form of brandy (a spirit distilled from wine). ... Sherry solera A solera is a series of barrels or other containers used for aging liquids such as Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Mavrodafni (a Greek dark red fortified dessert wine), Muscat, Muscadelle and Balsamic vinegar. ... In the United States, table wine is used as a legal definition to differentiate standard wine from stronger (higher alcohol content) fortified wine or sparkling wine []. In common usage, its definition is similar to the European one (see below). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

In Lithuania it is used for sparkling wine like Alita. A glass of sparkling wine A Sparkling wine cork Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. ... Company logo. ...

Muscat wine is also the basis for the brandy like Pisco, made in Peru and Chile, and Metaxa, a liqueur made in Greece. Brandy pot stills at the Van Ryn Brandy Cellar near Stellenbosch, South Africa. ... Some bottles of Peruvian Pisco Some bottles of Chilean Pisco Pisco (from Quechua: pisqu, little bird) is a liquor distilled from grapes (a brandy) made in wine-producing regions of Peru. ... Metaxa is a Greek liqueur invented by Spyros Metaxa in 1888. ... Bottles of strawberry liqueur A liqueur is a sweet alcoholic beverage, often flavoured with fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, roots, plants, barks, and sometimes cream. ...

Muscat Ottonel is also successfully grown by a few vineyards in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, USA. Currently it is produced into a Alsatian styled wine by McGregor Vineyard Winery on Keuka Lake.

Muscat is also used to make a range of French and Italian wines, such as the famous 'Muscat de Beaumes de Venise' vin doux naturel wines from the Rhone Valley in France. In Italy, it is widely used in sweeter sparkling wines like Asti. Their 'grapey' quality makes many wines made from Muscat easy to identify. Asti is a city and comune in the Piemonte or Piedmont region, in north-western Italy, about 80 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. ...

"The French Paradox" that is the long-known fact that heart diseases are less common in France than in USA. It turns out that grapes grown without fungicides develop fungi-protecting chemicals, which happen to have heart-beneficial properties. Muscat grapes have been found to have those chemicals in concentrations five times stronger than other kinds of grapes. Citation Needed

Moscato d'Asti

Moscato d'Asti is a lightly sparkling (frizzante) variety of Muscat, made from Moscato Bianco grapes in the Piedmont region of Italy. This region has a DOCG designation, and is also known for the production of Barbera d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Asti, and Asti Spumante. A glass of sparkling wine A Sparkling wine cork Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. ...

Muscat Wines by Country

Australia

Brown Muscat has pride of place in north-east Victoria's Rutherglen district, and is generally regarded to be one of the world's greatest fortified wines. High quality Muscats are also produced in other mainland states. Riverina producer Miranda makes a raisined Muscat in passito style.

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. Map of the Black Sea. ... The Danubian Plain (Bulgarian: , transliterated Dunavska ravnina) constitutes the northern part of Bulgaria, situated north of the Balkan Mountains and south of the Danube. ... Rose Valley is a region in Bulgaria located just south of the Balkan mountains and famous for its rose growing industry from which 70% of the worlds rose oil is produced. ...

South Africa

Muscat is known as Muscadel or Hanepoort, 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.

United States

Muscat wines produced in California include the Muscat de Beaulieu, a fortified wine from the Napa Valley and the Conundrum wine, which is a mix of Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. In California's Central Valley the Muscat cross Black Muscat is used to make dessert wine. Black Muscat is a Vitis vinifera grape variety derived from the crossing of the Schiava Grossa and Muscat of Alexandria varieties. ...

France

Muscat is best known for producing

• Vins Doux Naturels (Natural Sweet Wines) in Frontignan, Lunel, Mireval, St Jean De Minervois, Rivesaltes, Beaumes de Venise and Cap Corse.
• Alsace Muscat is primarily dry, but can also be made in sweeter styles (Vendange Tardive and Selection de Grains Nobles)

Italy

Muscat (Moscato) grows throughout Italy in various forms. In dessert form it is either passito or fortified, but it also appears in sparkling wines (spumante).

Spain

Fortified Muscat (Moscatel) is produced in Catalonia, Valencia, Alicante, Andalucia and the Canary Islands.

Portugal

Muscat (Moscatel) makes the much-revered Moscatel de Setubal and Moscatel de Favaios among others.

Austria and Hungary

In both Austria and Hungary, Muscat wines ranging from dry to very sweet are produced.

Romania

Romania has Muscat plantings for various dry and sweet styles.

Greece

Muscat dessert wines are produced on Samos, Rhodes, Patras and Cephalonia. Dry Muscat table wine is produced on Lemnos. Lemnos (mod. ...

Cyprus

Muscat dessert wines are also produced in Cyprus, analogous to those produced in Greece.

Ukraine

The Crimea region is home to dessert wines of reverence, with white, pink and black Muscat being given pride of place.

North Africa

Fortified Muscat wines are produced in Tunisia and Morocco.

New Zealand

Muscat is used for dessert wines.

Varieties of Muscat Grapes

• Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (also called Muscat Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Frontignan, Moscato Bianco, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat d'Alsace, Muskateller, Muscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel Rosé and Sárgamuskotály). 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.
• Moscato Giallo (or Goldmuskateller) and 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 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, Gordo Blanco, Hanepoot, Lexia, Moscatel Gordo, and Zibibbo) This grape is used for sherry, moscatel or muscatel wines, Muscatel 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 Austria and Croatia, and dry wines in Alsace and Hungary.
• Muscat Hamburg (also called Black Muscat, Moscato di Amburgo) Used for some Eastern European wine but mainly for table grapes in Italy and Australia.
• 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.

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. ... Asti is a DOCG sparkling wine produced in the Asti region in Piedmont, Italy. ... Tokaj cellar Tokaji, meaning of Tokaj in Hungarian, is used to label wines from the wine region of Tokaj-Hegyalja in Hungary. ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Península de Setúbal  - District or A.R. Setúbal Mayor Maria das Dores Meira  - Party CDU Area 171. ... Muscat of Alexandria is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. ... Zibibbo is the Italian name for the Muscat of Alexandria variety of grape. ... Sherry solera Sherry is a type of wine originally produced in and around the town of Jerez, Spain; and hence in Spanish it is called Vino de Jerez. The towns Persian name during the Rustamid period was Xerex (Shariz, in Persian شريش), from which both sherry and Jerez are derived. ... Bottles of strawberry liqueur A liqueur is a sweet alcoholic beverage, often flavoured with fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, roots, plants, barks, and sometimes cream. ... Muscat Ottonel is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. ... Location Administration Capital Strasbourg Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) Départements Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 km² Population (Ranked 14th)  - January 1, 2005 est. ... Black Muscat is a Vitis vinifera grape variety derived from the crossing of the Schiava Grossa and Muscat of Alexandria varieties. ... Anthem: Bože pravde (English: God of Justice) Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian written with the Cyrillic alphabet1 Government Republic  - President Boris Tadić  - Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment    - Formation 8th century   - Independence c. ... The Tisza (in Hungarian, Ukrainian: Tysa/Тиса, Russian: Tisa/Тиса, Romanian, Slovak and Serbian: Tisa, German: Theiß, Latin: Tissus, Tisia or Pathissus) is a river, tributary of the Danube and one of the major rivers of Central Europe, passing through Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine...

References

1. ^ J. Robinson Vines Grapes & Wines pg 183 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1-85732-999-6
2. ^ Rutherglen Muscat Classification — Solera system

Sherry solera A solera is a series of barrels or other containers used for aging liquids such as Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Mavrodafni (a Greek dark red fortified dessert wine), Muscat, Muscadelle and Balsamic vinegar. ...

External links

• Muscats Du Monde - website of an international Muscats competition.