The white grape variety originates from France. Synonyms grouped alphabetically by country are Muskat Otonel (Bulgaria); Muskat Ottonel, Weißer Muskat Ottonel (Germany); Chasselas Saint Fiacre, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat Ottonel Blanc, Ottonel Frontignan (France); Moschato Samou (Greece), Moscato Ottonel, Moscato Ottonel Bianco (Italy); Mirisavka, Muskat Otonel Bijeli (Croatia); Feinschmeckerter, White Muscat Ottonel (Austria); Tamîioasa Ottonel (Romania); Muskat Ottonel (Slovenia); Muscadel Ottonel (South Africa); Ottonel Muskotály (Hungary). The variety was selected in France in Angers in 1839 by Jean-Pierre Vibert (1777-1866) from a seedling and then released for cultivation in 1852 by M. Robert (see Moreau-Robert). It was named after a certain H. Ottonel, although the reason is not known.
According to DNA analyses carried out most recently in 2018, it is a presumably natural cross between Chasselas x Muscat d'Eisenstadt (Ingram's Mus cat); the Muscat Précoce de Saumur previously named as the father variety has been proven wrong. Incidentally, the same parents also gave rise to the new variety Muscat St. Laurent. Muscat Ottonel was a crossing partner of the new varieties Aletta, Aromera, Cabernet Cantor, Cabernet Carol, Cabernet Cortis, Queen Elisabeth, Mamaia, Mátrai Muskotály, Muskát Moravský and Unirea. The early-maturing vine is susceptible to both powdery mildew and botrytis and tends to coulure. It produces greenish-yellow, spicy white wines of low alcohol content with a citrus aroma and an intense muscat tone. Muscat Ottonel belongs to the bouquet varieties and is also a popular table grape.
In Europe, there are cultivated areas in Bulgaria (3,679 ha), Germany (16 ha), France in Alsace (172 ha), Italy (0.1 ha), Moldova (1,859 ha), Austria (357 ha), Romania (4,779 ha), Russia (34 ha), Switzerland (5 ha), Serbia (183 ha), Slovakia, Slovenia (98 ha), Czech Republic and Hungary (1,256 ha). Overseas, there are cultivation areas in the countries Canada (32 ha), South Africa (9 ha), USA and Uruguay (2 ha). In 2016, a total of 12,464 hectares of vineyard area were reported, with an upward trend. The variety is thus ranked 60th in the world grape variety ranking (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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Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien