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Welcome to our big Muscat test 2021. Here we present all the Muscat wines we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the web.
We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best Muscat wine for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should pay attention to if you want to buy a Muscat.
Contents
- 1 Weekly newsletter with the best personal finance tips
- 2 The most important Facts
- 3 The Best Muscat: Our Picks
- 4 Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying Muscat
- 5 What Types of Muscat are there and which is the right one for you?
- 6 Buying Criteria: These are the Factors you can use to compare and rate Muscat
- 7 Facts worth knowing about Muscat
The most important Facts
- Muscat is one of the oldest grape varieties from which white wines are made
- Muscat wines have a spicy taste with a hint of nutmeg
- You should seek advice when choosing your first wine, as there are over 200 different varieties available
The Best Muscat: Our Picks
Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying Muscat
What is Muscat?
Muscat is a very old wine variety. Even the Egyptians and Romans drank it.
What is yellow Muscat?
In France, this variety is known as Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains - in other words, as white Muscat. If you take a closer look, the two varieties differ in the skin of the berries and in the arrangement of the berries. This is why vine researchers do not equate yellow and white Muscat. Nevertheless, the terms are usually used synonymously.
Does Muscat taste like nutmeg?
The special thing about the grapes is that they already smell and taste like the wine later when they are unprocessed. Due to its aroma, the variety is also offered as a table grape.
Its flavour often has a fruity note. Citrus fruits and elderflowers are also often recognised when tasting.
As is often the case with wines: every wine tastes different. Especially with Muscat, with its more than 200 varieties, there is a wide range of bouquet.
How much does Muscat cost?
| Category | Price range |
|---|---|
| Light Secco, Cuvée | 5 - 8€ |
| Sparkling wine, young wines (from 2016) | 5- 10€ |
| Yellow Muscat, older wines | 10- 15€ |
Of course, these vary from winery to winery. In addition, when it comes to wine, the price range is usually open upwards, so the information is only intended as a guide.
Are there alternatives to Muscat?
Some are of the opinion that a Pinot Gris can also serve as a substitute. If you want a strong spicy taste, you can also go for Gewürztraminer. However, this has more of a rosy bouquet.
Just try it out. If you like a particular Muscat, you can look for the same characteristics in other wines. It's best to get advice.
What Types of Muscat are there and which is the right one for you?
Basically, we distinguish between these types of Muscat:
- Muscat wine
- Muscat sparkling wine
- Muscat Gin
In the following, we explain the different types and their respective advantages and disadvantages. In this way, we want to help you find the Muscat that is best for you.
The individual varieties differ in the colour and shape of the grapes, but also in the taste and the growing region of the grape variety.
What distinguishes Muscat wine and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Muscat wine is made from one of the oldest white wine grape varieties. It has a fruity and spicy taste and is reminiscent of summer.
What distinguishes Muscat sparkling wine and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Muscat sparkling wine is, as you can imagine, sparkling wine made from the Muscat grape. It is usually described as fruity, but still has that certain spicy taste that the Muscat grape brings with it.
Many wineries with Muscat cultivation produce both wine and sparkling wine from the grape variety. However, there are also specific sparkling wine cellars that specialise in the production of Muscat sparkling wine.
What distinguishes Muscat gin and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
In times of the trendy drink gin, it was only a matter of time that gin would also be made from the muscatel grape. So far, however, only one German company from Mainz has dared to produce the drink.
This gin is somewhat lighter than the usual representatives of its kind. You can drink it well with a light tonic water.
Buying Criteria: These are the Factors you can use to compare and rate Muscat
In the following, we will show you which criteria you can use to compare and evaluate Muscat. This will make it easier for you to get an overview and decide on a suitable and effective product.
In summary, these are the following criteria::
In the following, you can read about the respective criteria and find out why it makes sense for you to purchase a product based on the criteria or not.
Growing region of the grape
Muscat is grown in Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Hungary, South Africa, Austria and Germany. Within Germany, it is mainly grown in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg.
Depending on the cultivation area, the grape develops different characteristics of flavour. So you should choose the growing regions according to your preferences. You can even go so far as to choose a winery that is located in the growing region where the wines taste best to you.
It was only brought to the Mediterranean region by Greek settlers, where it soon became very popular.
Taste
Dry, semi-dry, sweet - you should pay attention to the taste of the wines and which one you like best. Once again, the proof of the pudding is in the eating!
If you already have a little experience with wine, you can choose the flavour for your first Muscat that you usually like best in white wines. That way you can feel your way along.
Type
Different types, different preferences. Depending on what you are looking for, you can find the right one. There are more than 200 different types of muscatel grapes, so of course there are also different types of the drink. Take your time browsing and find what you need.
Vintage
You will rarely find Muscat that is very old. You can find out if the vintage of the wine was a good one for the development of the grape and the harvest. This will give you information about the quality of the product.
Type of closure
Each type of closure has its advantages and disadvantages. We have summarised them in a clear table to give you a better overview.
| Type of cork | advantages and disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Natural cork | Allows the wine to breathe, but can give the wine a cork taint (usually makes it undrinkable) |
| Plastic cork | Less prone to taint, but reacts with the sulphuric acid in the wine (can lead to faster spoilage) |
| Glass corks | Have not caught on due to high price and leaky closure |
| Screw cap | Very tight and tasteless, but not a natural product |
| Crown cork | Very tight and tasteless, but not a natural product |
Sulphites
A hotly debated topic is the amount of sulphur, i.e. sulphites, in wine.
It is a fact that sulphites are formed in small quantities during natural fermentation in wine. These substances also have many functions and are important for the wine in small quantities, for example, they promote the maturation in the wine bottle.
However, it is also common to add sulphites in addition. If you don't want this, you should pay attention to the labels. Many organic winegrowers manage to produce wines without additional sulphuric acid by using the most modern pressing technologies.
Sulphites are not the cause of headaches after drinking wine, as they are consumed in far too small quantities.
Facts worth knowing about Muscat
What food goes well with Muscat?
Due to its intense aroma, the wine is not compatible with everything. In Austria, it is therefore often served as an aperitif - as a starter for a nice evening.
Muscat is a very summery, fruity wine. You should therefore not serve it with heavy meals. Either only as an aperitif or a nightcap. It also goes well with desserts because of its residual sweetness. And with light starters, but also with light main courses.
Does Muscat go sour from standing for a long time?
Basically, every wine becomes sour if it stands open for a long time.
Muscat should be drunk in the first year. A primarily fruity wine is not suitable for ageing. But it also depends on the quality, because it is true:
"A great wine is always a great wine." (F. X. Pichler)
This means: a bad wine cannot suddenly become a good wine after some maturing time.
You should store the wine free from shocks and temperature fluctuations and preferably protected from strong sunlight.
Which glass do you use for Muscat?
Muscat is best drunk from a Chardonnay glass.
A white wine glass - that is, a glass with only a slightly bulbous shape. It is particularly delicious when chilled (between 8 and 10 degrees).
Image source: pexels.com / Valeria Boltneva
