Muscat

A wonderfully broad category that encompasses many different Muscat varieties; known as ‘Moscato’ in Italy and ‘Moscatel’ in Iberia. Some of the best-known varieties include the intensely aromatic Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, the reliably yielding Muscat Ottonel, the sweet styles of Muscat of Alexandria, the Pink Muscat known as Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains and the red-skinned Muscat à Petits Grains Rouges (Rutherglen Brown Muscat). These different varieties and mutations all boast beautiful aromatics and often display notes of rose, orange blossom together with distinct ‘grapey’ character.

From Portugal to Sicily, Australia to Spain, Muscat wines are a fascinating category to explore in all their different expressions. The result is an exciting array of fortified, still, sweet and sparkling wines including Madeira, rare Pink Muscats from the highly renowned Massandra Winery in Crimea, fresh and elegant sweet sparkling Moscato d’Asti wines with delicate elderflower notes, the wonderful decadence of the passito style sweet wine made from Zibbibo (Muscat of Alexandria) on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, and the syrupy luscious nature of an Australian Rutherglen Muscat. A glorious family of grape varieties, creating beautifully hedonistic wines!