Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

While technically a white grape, there are strains of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains vines that produce berries that are pink or reddish brown.

Samos now reinvents itself as a winemaking region, with emerging independent producers focusing more on dry, or even sparkling styles.

It is the oldest known variety grown in Piedmont and is the primary component of the Asti and Moscato d'Asti wines, as well as for the aromatized and fortified vermouths.

In Spain, the grape is primarily called Moscatel de Grano Menudo, and it is the second most planted Muscat for wine.

Its viticultural characteristics makes it prone to producing low yields and a susceptibility to mildew and the grape berry moth.

[4] It also tends to fall victim to leaf roll, odium and grey rot and requires a long growing season as it tends to bud early and ripen late.

Muscat blanc à petits grains is one of the first harvests in France, starting as early as mid August, in Mireval and other areas of the mediterranean basin, in hot dry years like 2009.

Vendange tardive (late harvest) of the grapes is also made to exploit the high sugar and flavour concentrations.

It was probably first introduced to France by the Greeks through their trading port at Marseille and later spread to the Narbonne region by Romans in their conquest of Gaul.

A Moscato d'Asti wine from Piedmont , Italy
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains growing in Weinsberg under the synonym Gelber Muskateller