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The muscat family of grapes grow widely for wine, raisins and table grapes. They range in color from white to almost black. Muscat grapes grow around the world in Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Australia, California and Hungary. One variety of muscat is one of only three grapes allowed for making sherry. Pisco is a brandy made in Peru from muscat grapes. Metaxa is a brandy liqueur from Greece which uses muscat wine. Australia uses muscat grapes to make a fortified wine of the same name. Muscat grapes form one of the major varieties grown for wine in Chile. Moscatel is widely appreciated in Portugal.
Varieties of muscat grapes:
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (also called Muscat Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Frontignan, Moscato Bianco, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat d'Alsace, Muskateller, Muscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel Rosé and Sárgamuskotály). This grape is used for the wines: asti spumante, clairette de die, and muscat de beaumes-de-venise. It is also used for some Tokaji wines.
- Moscato Giallo (or Goldmuskateller) and Moscato Rosa (or Rosenmuskateller) are thought to be closely related colored versions of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.
- Moscatel de Setúbal and Moscatel de Favaios are the most widely consumed varieties in Portugal, usually served in bars or as an apperitive at restaurants.
- Muscat of Alexandria (also called Moscatel, Moscatel Romano, Moscatel de Málaga, Gordo Blanco, Hanepoot, Lexia, Moscatel Gordo, and Zibibbo) This grape is used for sherry, moscatel or muscatel wines, Muscatel de Valencia, Muscatel Passito and other Muscatel liqueurs and also as a raisin and table grape.
- Muscat Ottonel (also called Moskately) Used for dessert wines in Austria and dry wines in Alsace and Hungary.
- Muscat Hamburg (also called Black Muscat, Moscato di Amburgo) Used for some Eastern European wine but mainly for table grapes in Italy and Australia
- Orange Muscat. Used for dessert wines in California and Australia
- Muscat Crocant. Used for dessert wine of the same name (lovaly Muskat Krokan) in Serbia, where it grows only on Pearl Island (Biserno Ostrvo) on Tisza river.
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