The Muscat grape has so many varieties that it is broadly theorized to be the oldest of the domesticated grape families. While the Muscat grape and its varieties are grown all over the world. Spain and Portugal produce the greatest amount by far and while the wine is known as Muscato or Moscato elsewhere, in Spain and Portugal it is called Muscatel or Muscatel. The hot climate and dry soil conditions in the US which most closely mimic those of Spain and Portugal are found in central California so don’t expect to find this grape the next time you’re on a wine country tour in Sonoma Valley or Napa Valley, or the wine available at any of the local wineries there.
The Muscat grapes are used to make sweeter wines and while some mildly sweet table wines are produced, as well as some dessert wines using late harvest techniques, the bulk of the production is toward fortified wines. This means nothing more than the addition of a distilled beverage such as grape brandy which kills off the yeast and leaves behind a concentration of sugars, producing a sweeter, higher concentration of alcohol. These then become port, sherry, vermouth, marsala, and madeira. The concentration not only intensifies the alcohol and sugars, but also provides the side benefit of being high in antioxidants.
While not commonly grown in northern California’s wine country, it is still possible to bump into a Moscato wine there during your wine tours. Some of the wineries will offer it in their tasting rooms as a final drink to cleanse the palette. It’s a nice gesture and there is likely no sweeter way to exit.
