Muscat

Muscat wines are famed for their heady, perfumed aromas—orange blossom, rose, honeysuckle, and fresh grapes—thanks to high levels of aromatic monoterpenes like linalool and geraniol. The most prized variety, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (also known as Moscato Bianco or Muscat Canelli), is the backbone of both elegant Alsace dry whites and lusciously sweet wines like Asti, Moscato d'Asti, and French vins doux naturels, but is susceptible to fungal diseases. Muscat of Alexandria, with its robust “grapey” character, is favored for sweet and fortified wines, table grapes, raisins, and as a base for brandy in regions like Chile and South Africa. While Muscats generally prefer warm, sunny climates, some, such as Muscat Ottonel, thrive in cooler areas, making this family of grapes beloved for their bold, expressive flavors across a wide range of wine styles.

• Regional Influence:
  • Alsace, Austria, Italy, the US, and parts of Spain produce dry still Muscats that are light or medium-bodied, with bright acidity, a fragrant floral nose, and sometimes a subtle phenolic bitterness on the finish.
  • Piedmont’s Moscato d’Asti is gently sparkling, low in alcohol, and bursts with fresh peach, apricot, pear, orange blossom, and honey.
  • Pantelleria specializes in lush, sweet passito-style Muscats, while Beaumes-de-Venise is known for its fortified VDN, both showcasing rich stone fruit, honey, and candied citrus.
  • Rutherglen and Setúbal are renowned for deeply aged, fortified Muscats layered with raisin, fig, prune, toffee, caramel, molasses, roasted nuts, dark chocolate, coffee, and complex spices.
• Climate Effect:
  • Cooler climates emphasize crisp green apple, citrus, melon, and lively acidity.
  • Warmer regions bring out tropical notes—mango, guava, pineapple—and amplify Muscat’s juicy, sun-ripened character.
  • Across all styles, acidity is essential for balancing sweetness, providing structure and ensuring overall freshness.

The Muscat grape expresses a remarkable range of styles depending on where it is grown, with each region’s climate and winemaking traditions shaping the wine’s sweetness, aromatics, and structure.

• Italy – Piedmont: Moscato d’Asti is a semi-sparkling (frizzante), low-alcohol, sweet wine, while Asti Spumante is fully sparkling (spumante), slightly drier, and higher in alcohol; both are made mainly from Moscato Bianco and display delicate floral and stone fruit notes.
• France – Alsace: Muscat here is crafted into dry, intensely perfumed wines as well as both late-harvest and botrytized (Sélection de Grains Nobles) sweet styles, with Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Muscat Ottonel thriving in the region’s cool climate.
• Australia – Rutherglen: Rutherglen’s fortified Liqueur Muscat is made from the Rutherglen Brown Muscat clone, using long barrel aging and a solera-like fractional blending system to create deeply colored, unctuous wines with layers of raisin, toffee, nuts, chocolate, and spice.
• Greece – Samos: High-altitude vineyards on Samos grow Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Moschato Aspro), producing vivid, aromatic wines in styles such as Vin Doux, Grand Cru, Anthemis, and sun-dried Liastos (Nectar), with both lusciously sweet dessert and increasingly popular dry expressions.

Muscat’s lively aromatics and diverse styles make it a fantastic wine to pair with a wide range of dishes, from appetizers to desserts.

• Dry Muscat: Its crisp, floral character pairs beautifully with light starters such as asparagus, fresh salads with vinaigrette, steamed seafood, sushi, and mild poultry or pasta dishes, while also enhancing mild Asian flavors and handling tricky vegetables.
• Sparkling and Semi-Sweet Muscat: Lightly sparkling Moscato d’Asti and similar wines are ideal with fruit-based desserts like tarts and sorbet, but also balance spicy Asian or Mexican dishes and pair well with salty charcuterie, creamy cheeses, and light meats such as chicken or pork tenderloin.
• Sweet and Fortified Muscat: Richer dessert or fortified Muscats shine alongside decadent treats like chocolate mousse, nut tortes, sticky puddings, blue cheeses, foie gras, pâtés, roasted nuts, or simply enjoyed as a digestif to finish the meal.

• Serving Temperature: Serve dry Muscat chilled at 46–54°F (8–12°C); sparkling and semi-sparkling sweet styles like Moscato d'Asti at 41–50°F (5–10°C); sweet still and dessert Muscats at 46–55°F (8–13°C); fortified and aged Muscats between 50–61°F (10–16°C), depending on age and style.
• Glassware: Use a medium-bowled white wine glass or tulip-shaped glass to highlight Muscat’s aromatic profile. For sparkling Muscat, a white wine or tulip glass works well. Serve fortified styles in a small Port or Sherry glass, or a standard white wine glass for more aromatic complexity.
• Decanting: Decanting is rarely needed for Muscat, except for older, top-quality fortified bottles that may have sediment. Decant gently just before serving if necessary.
• Aging Potential: Enjoy sparkling and most dry Muscats young, within 1–5 years. Only top examples of dry Muscat can age 10–20 years, while fortified Muscats like Rutherglen or Setúbal can last for decades.
• Storage: Store unopened non-fortified, cork-sealed bottles on their side in a cool, dark place at 50–59°F (10–15°C). Fortified Muscats should be stored upright, especially if sealed with a stopper cork. Once opened, refrigerate and finish sparkling Muscat within 1–3 days, still styles within a week, and fortified Muscats within several weeks to months, depending on age and sweetness.