Muscadelle
Encyclopedia
Muscadelle is a white wine
grape variety. It has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins like grapes of the Muscat family of grapes, but it is unrelated.
DNA analysis has indicated that Muscadelle is a cross between Gouais Blanc
and an unidentified grape variety.
. It rarely makes up more than 10% of the blend, which is dominated by Sémillon
and Sauvignon Blanc
. Throughout the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century, plantings of the grape were falling. Some sweet wines from Monbazillac
, on the other hand, can have a higher proportion of Muscadelle.
In Australia, where it is known as Tokay, the grape is used to make an increasingly popular fortified wine
, sometimes known as Liqueur Tokay. Those made in the Rutherglen
region generally receive considerable aging in hot cellars, leading to a maderised
and oxidative character. A few other Australian wine regions, including the Barossa Valley
make similar wines. A few other Australian wineries use the Muscadelle to make table wines in a similar way to French wineries. Due to EU law, Australian wines are no longer allowed to use the word Tokay on their labels, instead choosing the word Topaque to represent this style.
The name, Tokay, convinced some Australian producers that the grape was Pinot Gris
(which used to be called Tokay by producers in Alsace
). Others thought the grape might have been Hárslevelű
, one of the components of the famous Hungarian sweet wine Tokaji
. However, it has been proven that Australian Tokay is Muscadelle.
Muscat Fou, Musquette, Pedro Ximenes Krimsky, Raisimotte, Raisin de Musco, Raisinote, Raisinotte, Rousselou, Sauvignon à Gros Grains, Sauvignon Muscadelle, Sauvignon Vert, Tokay, Vesparo, and White Angelica.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
grape variety. It has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins like grapes of the Muscat family of grapes, but it is unrelated.
DNA analysis has indicated that Muscadelle is a cross between Gouais Blanc
Gouais Blanc
Gouais Blanc or Weißer Heunisch is a white grape variety that is seldom grown today but is important as the ancestor of many traditional French and German grape varieties. The name Gouais derives from the old French adjective ‘gou’, a term of derision befitting its traditional status as the grape...
and an unidentified grape variety.
Wine regions
In France, it is a minor constituent in the dry and sweet wines of Bordeaux, such as SauternesSauternes (wine)
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined,...
. It rarely makes up more than 10% of the blend, which is dominated by Sémillon
Sémillon
Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia.-History:The origin of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century and by the 1820s the grape covered over 90 percent...
and Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
. Throughout the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century, plantings of the grape were falling. Some sweet wines from Monbazillac
Monbazillac AOC
Monbazillac is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for sweet white wine produced in the village of Monbazillac on the left bank of the Dordogne River just across from the town of Bergerac in South West France. The appellation covers almost of vineyards.The AOC of Monbazillac was first established...
, on the other hand, can have a higher proportion of Muscadelle.
In Australia, where it is known as Tokay, the grape is used to make an increasingly popular fortified wine
Fortified wine
Fortified wine is wine to which a distilled beverage has been added. Fortified wine is distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation, while fortified wine is simply wine that has had a spirit added to it...
, sometimes known as Liqueur Tokay. Those made in the Rutherglen
Rutherglen, Victoria
Rutherglen is a small town in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, near the Murray River border with New South Wales. The town was named after the Scottish town of Rutherglen which lies just outside Glasgow...
region generally receive considerable aging in hot cellars, leading to a maderised
Maderisation
Maderisation is a process that involves the heating and oxidization of a wine. The term is named after the process used in the production of Madeira wine, where it occurs while the wine is still in cask. The resulting wine darkens in color and acquires a Sherry-like character...
and oxidative character. A few other Australian wine regions, including the Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley (wine)
The Barossa Valley is one of Australia's oldest wine regions. Located in South Australia, the Barossa Valley is about 56km northeast of the city of Adelaide...
make similar wines. A few other Australian wineries use the Muscadelle to make table wines in a similar way to French wineries. Due to EU law, Australian wines are no longer allowed to use the word Tokay on their labels, instead choosing the word Topaque to represent this style.
The name, Tokay, convinced some Australian producers that the grape was Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
(which used to be called Tokay by producers in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
). Others thought the grape might have been Hárslevelű
Hárslevelu
Hárslevelű , also called Lipovina , Frunza de tei , Lindenblättriger and Feuille de Tilleul is a grape variety from the Pontian Balcanica branch of Vitis vinifera.The name refers to the "lime leaf" in each of these languages...
, one of the components of the famous Hungarian sweet wine Tokaji
Tokaji
Tokaji is the name of the wines from the region of Tokaj-Hegyalja in Hungary and Slovakia. The name Tokaji is used for labeling wines from this wine district. This region is noted for its sweet wines made from grapes affected by noble rot, a style of wine which has a long history in this region...
. However, it has been proven that Australian Tokay is Muscadelle.
Synonyms
Muscadelle is also known under the synonyms Angelicaut, Angelico, Blanc Cadillac, Blanche Douce, Bouillenc Muscat, Buillenc, Cadillac, Catape, Colle, Colle Musquette, Doucanelle, Douzanelle, Enfin, Guepie, Guilan Doux, Guilan Muscat, Guilan Musque, Guillan, Guillan Musque, Guinlhan Musque, Marmesie, Marseillais, Muscade, Muscadela, Muscadet, Muscadet Doux, MuscaleaMuscat Fou, Musquette, Pedro Ximenes Krimsky, Raisimotte, Raisin de Musco, Raisinote, Raisinotte, Rousselou, Sauvignon à Gros Grains, Sauvignon Muscadelle, Sauvignon Vert, Tokay, Vesparo, and White Angelica.