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Muscadelle

The white grape variety originates from France. Synonyms are Angelicaut, Angelico, Blanc Cadillac, Bouillenc, Bouillenc Muscat, Buillenc, Doucanelle, Douzanelle, Enfin, Guilan Doux, Guilan Muscat, Guilan Musque, Guilhan Muscat, Guillan, Guillan Musque, Guinlhan Musque, Marmesie, Marseillais, Muscade, Muscadela, Muscadelle de Bordelais, Muscat Fou, Musquette, Raisimotte, Sauvignon à Gros Grains, Sauvignon Muscadelle, Sauvignon Vert, Tokay and Vesparo. Despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or morphological similarities, it must not be confused with the varieties Muscadelle du Bordelais, Muscat Blanc or Sauvignonasse (Sauvignon Vert). According to DNA analyses carried out in 2002, it is one of the many direct descendants of Gouais Blanc (Heunisch); the second parent is unknown. This early-ripening variety produces fragrant white wines with a discreet muscat tone. It is susceptible to botrytis and therefore very suitable for sweet wines and is a component of Sauternes and Barsac wines. It is often blended with Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Muscadelle - Weintraube und Blatt

In France, the variety is mainly found in the areas of Bordeaux (especially Entre-deux-Mers), Alsace and south-west France (especially Bergerac) and occupies a total of 1,412 hectares of vineyards with a downward trend. At the end of the 1950s, there were still around 6,300 hectares. There are further stocks in Romania (5 ha), in California in the Napa Valley and Australia (92 ha). In Australia, the Tokay variety and the sweet wines made from it were called "Liqueur Tokay" because the vine was wrongly assumed to have originated in Hungary. The name has since been changed to Topaque in an agreement between the European Union and Australia to protect the Hungarian name Tokay. In 2016, a total of 1,509 hectares of vines were reported (Kym Anderson statistics).

Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)

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