Muscat

Large family of aromatic grapes, generally white, and very ancient. The Muscat blanc à petit grains is the most famous of this family. Its yield is rather poor and its fruit of an extreme finesse. This grape is the only approved in the Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Lunel, Muscat de Mireval and the Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. It is combined with the Muscat d'Alexandrie in the Muscat de Rivesaltes. It can unfold its aromas in other wines as for example in the Clairette de Die or in the famous Italian Asti Spumante. The Muscat d'Alexandrie has bigger grapes and is of lower quality. In France, it is part in the making of the Muscat de Rivesaltes, but mostly cultivated in Spain and Portugal. It is a good producer of dry raisins and table grapes. The Muscat Ottonel is a hybrid of the Muscat de Saumur and the Chasselas, created in the middle of the XIX. century in the Loire region. It is cultivated in the Alsace for the production of the Alsace-Muscat.
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