Muscat grape: a description of the variety and photos

The origins of viticulture go back centuries. According to the latest archaeological data, winemaking originates in the Middle East about 8 thousand years ago. Now this industry is one of the leading for many countries with a warm climate. What can we say about the innumerable varieties of grape varieties. Muscat is heard by many. Meanwhile, this is not a separate hybrid, but a whole group of cultivars.

The berries of this variety group are valued for a specific musky aroma and are used both fresh and for wine production. Muscats are grown in Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, the Crimea, Moldova, etc. The most widely distributed grapes are muscat white (incense), Hamburg, black, pink, Hungarian, Alexandrian. Let us dwell on each of them in more detail.

Muscat white

Muscat white, or incense is known to winemakers also under the name of small-berry, Lunel, frontinian, Tamyanka. This is one of the oldest varieties, occurring, most likely, from Egypt, Syria or Arabia. At the moment, it is widespread in France, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and the United States.

This is the mid-term variety of grapes. Muscat white ripens in about 140 days. The plant is medium-sized, the clusters formed on it have a mass of 100 to 450 g and dimensions of 13-17 cm by 10 cm, a conical shape. Not too large berries (up to 1.5 cm in diameter and weighing about 4 grams) are very tightly "sitting" on the brush. Grapes are characterized by the ability to high accumulation of sugars in fruits (18-25%). It is a good technical grade with a characteristic muscat taste and aroma.

Among the shortcomings it is worth noting the susceptibility to pea, the exacting conditions for growing, low resistance to frost and disease. Gradually released zoned varieties, for example, white Muscat Shatilov (Siberian selection) grows well in the Urals and Siberia.

Pink Muscat Grapes: Variety Description

A relatively young grape variety is known as well as Muscat Rouge de Frontignan, red, Moscato Rosso di Madera, etc. It is a variation of white and appeared presumably several centuries ago in the south-west of Europe. Now it is cultivated practically in all wine-making countries, especially in France, Portugal, Italy, Armenia.

Bunch of Pink Muscat of medium size - 14-18 cm in length and 7-10 cm in width. It has a conical-cylindrical shape. Berries 1-1.8 cm long and 1-1.7 cm wide are very dense, roundish, painted in dark red color, have a strong waxy coating and a distinct muscat flavor.

Pink Muscat grape (photo above) is characterized by its instability to mildew and high sensitivity to oidium or, in other words, to powdery mildew. Winter hardiness is low, but much better adapted to different soil conditions and moisture levels compared to the previous variety.

Muscat black

Muscat black is widely known as Caiaba or Kayaba. The exact history of its origin is not known, the first mention of the variety dates back to the 19th century. Grapes prefers a warm climate and is most common on the slopes of the South of France, as well as in the Crimea.

Berry bunches have average sizes (up to 15 cm in length), but they have an impressive mass due to the dense arrangement of fruits (up to 800 g). Berries grow to 1.9 cm in diameter. They have a rounded shape, dense skin, dyed in the stage of maturity in a dark blue color and covered with a small layer of wax plaque. Berries are characterized by juiciness, sweetness and pronounced aroma. Grapes Muscat black because of the high content of sugars used to make raisins.

The variety has a high resistance to various rot and leaf diseases, but is sensitive to a leaf roller. Sensitive to cold, has a low resistance to frost, exacting to the soil and moisture level in it.

Muscat Hamburg

Hamburg Muscat is a universal table variety, widely spread in Hungary, France, Tunisia, Greece and Romania. In addition, it occurs in the fields of the USA, Argentina and some other countries. Bunches of grapes are quite large: in length reach 18-20 cm, width - 11-17 cm. The brush has a conical shape, loose, branched, a medium-length herbaceous-green leg. Berries are large, usually 1.2-2.6 cm long and 1.1-1.7 cm in diameter, round or oval, full of violet-blue color with a dense waxy coating. The mass of one cluster is 170-260 g. The disease resistance is very low, heat-loving, demanding for soil and moisture.

Grapes Muscat Hungarian

Muscat Hungarian is also known under the names Razdrob, Krokan, Vanilla. This is a universal variety of folk selection, medium-term (matures by the end of September). Plants are characterized by high growth power, good ripening of shoots, stable yields (medium to high). Grapes of medium size and density, conical shape. The berries are roundish greenish-yellow with a brown "tan", thick skin, dense and crisp flesh. Muscat Hungarian is very sensitive to the moisture of the soil and air. With excess water, the berries quickly become moldy or crack. The variety is used for making wines and juices with a characteristic muscat aroma.

Muscat of Alexandria

Muscat Alexandrian grapes were grown in ancient Arabia, now the variety is widely distributed in Spain, Greece, Italy, in the South of France. A universal table grapes forming large loose bunches (15-20 cm long, 10-13 cm wide) weighing up to 230-240 g. Large berries have an oval shape, yellow color (with incomplete maturity with a green tint) and a matte surface with Stains of brown "sunburn". The flesh of the fruit is fleshy, dense and juicy with strongly expressed muscat aroma.

The variety is characterized by a very low winter hardiness and resistance to diseases, the demand for soils. Best Muscat Alexandria grows on fertile and moderately moist soils. On purpose it is universal, used for making wines, compotes, jams, juices, raisins.

Muscat wines

People who are far from viticulture at the mention of wine are often the first to come to mind is muscat. The grapes, the description of which we presented above - is only part of the rich variety. By popularity, Muscat is ahead of Isabella.

Learn its rich and vivid taste is not difficult, it is determined immediately. Muscat shows itself in wines most fully and strongly. One of the most famous Muscat drinks is named "Asti". White sparkling wine is produced in the southern Piedmont (Italy). It is made exclusively from the White Muscat - the oldest variety of the region.

However, several countries can boast of their famous magnificent Muscat wines. In France it is "Bom de Veniz" (white, fortified), "Mirval", "Lunel", "Frontignan", "Cap-Corse" (from Corsica). Sunny Italy offers wine lovers yellow-gold "Moscato Jallo" or "Goldmuskateller", Spain - "Moscatel" (especially popular Malagasy), USA - Muscat "Orange", Greece - Samos, Crimea - famous Massandra.