Contemplating Muscat, Muscadelle, and Muscadet Wine... What’s the difference?

 

I am writing this not only because it is a fun subject, but many people ask me what’s the difference between Muscat, Muscadelle, and Muscadet and some other similar wines. What follows is some good info; so the next time you go into your favorite wine shop you have it all straight….

Let’s talk about Muscat first. There are many pseudonyms for this grape. For example Moscato (in Italy ), Muskadel (in South Africa ), Muskateller (in Germany ) and Moscatel (in both Spain and Portugal ). Phew!!!

Why can’t everybody just agree on one freakin’ name, right? Life would be too easy.

To make it even more confusing, Muscat can have various names attached to it, such as “ Alexandria ”, “Ottonel”, and the rather drawn-out phrase “Blanc à Petits Grains”. But don’t focus on these add-on phrases – they’re just different varieties of the same grape, and all will be extremely sweet-scented, aromatic and grapey.

So, just note that Dry or Sweet; Still, Sparkling, or Fortified: Muscat has a discrete aroma and flavor that is absolutely beautifully delicious.

The next one is Muscadelle, which is not related to Muscat at all. Just to be clear….

Muscadelle, is one of the three grapes allowed for white French Bordeaux, the other two more notable grapes being Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon.

Muscadelle is commonly used to add a tangy and tasty, youthfulness to white Bordeaux blends. It hardly ever gets top billing because it lacks the characteristics necessary to make a single varietal wine you’d call yummy. But it’s a matter of taste. If you see one, pick it up and try it.

Wait! hold your horses!

There is one exception to this Muscadelle rule and it is in Australia, where Muscadelle is used on its own to produce lusciously sweet fortified wines. The grape is called “Tokay” over there. Don’t ask why. But it is incredible! By the way, there is Tojaji from Hungary which Peter the Great used to drink calling it the “Wine of Kings” …but that’s another story.

Finally, there’s Muscadet. A popular LIGHT and DRY wine produced in the western part of France's Loire region.

Distinct from most other wines in France, the name of the wine is not taken from a town or geographic area, but rather from a grape known locally called Muscadet, even though its proper name is Melon de Bourgogne.

Although it can be a bit neutral in flavor, Muscadet has a lot of energy. It is dry with a crisp zippy acidity, making it a great match for shellfish. You might see the term “sur lie” on the label. If you do, make sure to buy that one because it has been aged on the lees (with all the wine sediment), and this lends a delicious richness to the wine.

I hope this helps clarify Muscat, Muscadelle, and Muscadet; because it’s really great stuff and if you love wine you should be having a lot of these three.

 

A Grand List of Wines (mostly under $25) that will not dissapoint...Seek them out over 2015 and 2016

A friend asked me to put together a wine list and this is what I did. Enjoy the list and happy searching.

 

 

2011 Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial Sardon de Duero, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2014 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles (750ml)

 

2012 Bodega Norton Privada, Mendoza (750ml)

 

2010 Castello di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva, Chianti (750ml)

 

2013 M.Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem, Cotes du Roussillon Villages (750ml)

 

2013 Villacreces Pruno, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2012 Montes Alpha Syrah, Colchagua Valley (750ml)

 

2012 Fattoria Poggiopiano Chianti Classico, Chianti (750ml)

 

2011 Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva, Chianti (750ml)

 

2012 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (750ml) $32

 

2013 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (750ml) $29

 

2013 Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered, Napa (750ml) $34

 

2012 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon Oroppas, Napa (750ml) $39

 

2012 Chateau Haut Bergey Rouge, Pessac-Leognan (750ml)

 

2006 Chateau La Vieille Cure, Fronsac (750ml)

 

2012 La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande de Pomerol (750ml) $29

 

2012 Chateau La Tour Carnet, Haut-Medoc (750ml) $33

 

2012 Saint Damien Les Souteyrades, Gigondas (750ml) $29

 

2013 Saint Cosme, Gigondas (750ml) $34

 

2010 Domaine Pallieres Gigondas Les Terrasse du Diable, Gigondas (750ml) $36

 

2013 Chateau Saint Roch La Chapelle, Côtes du Roussillon (750ml) $29

 

2012 Ridge Zinfandel Three Valleys, Russian River (750ml)

 

2012 Condado de Haza Tinto, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2011 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veneto (750ml)

 

2012 Tikves Bela Voda, Tikves (750ml)

 

2014 Turley Wine Cellars Juvenile Zinfandel, California (750ml)

 

2013 Duorum Colheita, Douro (750ml)

 

2012 Zolo Reserve Malbec, Uco Valley (750ml)

 

How do I find a wine I like? How do I find the winners?.. because budget wines are hitting a quality level that is worth seeking!

Over the past 15 years at least a couple of major things have changed. A lot more people are enjoying wine and budget price wines have been improving over the years. Technology has a lot to do with it; but so does the fact that winemakers have been replanting vineyards with grapes that make better wine. Just like plant breeders go all-out to offer more robust, more fragrant roses for gardeners, grape scholars and scientists have helped winemakers improve their vines.

So basically winegrowers are learning how to get more flavor from the grapes they grow by careful timing of watering and pruning. Money matters too. When wines cost $7 or $8 a bottle and above, winemakers can afford to use the better-quality grapes than they used too.

These changes probably mean that today's under $10 wines would have cost $15 five years ago. Or your $15 wines are hitting a quality level that is worth seeking. Then apply that to a $20 bottle and so on.

Just to think that the price for a high quality Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or French Bordeaux is roughly $50.

But we are talking the budget wines here… and their advancements!

When you walk down the wine aisle will you will see dozens upon dozens of sensibly priced wines on the shelves, yet picking one amongst the often-whacky labels—including everything from funky monkeys to long-tailed eagles—can be a royal pain. In regards to the style or the appeal of the wines in the bottle can be night and day.

So how in the heck do I find a wine I like?!? How do I find the winners?!?

Here are a few tips to follow to find a really decent wine of good quality.

Choose a grape you previously tasted but this time from a country you've never tried. For example some of the best budget or value wines have recently come from Argentina (try Chardonnay or a Malbec) , Chile (try its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay too). In Spain lower-priced wines from Rioja make good-value (usually the classic Tempranillo grape). Also, South Africa (Chenin Blanc, also known as ‘Steen’ sometimes) are a great opportunity to enjoy.

In the same way; try up-and-coming grapes and wine styles now before they take off in appreciation and reputation (and price). If you enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon style, try a Malbec—those again from Argentina are good values. Vinho Verde is a light, refreshing white wine from Portugal that's famously inexpensive.

Also, just because it’s pink does not mean it is White Zinfandel.

Don’t pass over rows of massively unrecognized and underpriced rosé wines—many of that are enjoyably dry and crisp. Just so you know…this wine generally goes really great with lightly seasoned fish or chicken dishes.

Riesling, too, is so under-appreciated and that the price remains low for many of these well-designed and delicious wines. Riesling is very versatile. It can be bone dry, semi-sweet or very sweet. So have fun with that.  Remember hot and spicy food goes great with Riesling

By the way…A quick very basic food pairing hint…match ‘Power with Power’

You can't really judge a quality of a wine by its label, but the label might tell you a bit about the style of wine inside If you see a wine label with a beautiful pastel collage of flowers on it, it’s not going to be a big, heavy concentrated red wine…but you never know… Likewise, a wine with a huge red or dirty old truck on it is unlikely to be anything too light-bodied or sweet.

Look, If you see the brand..Barefoot, Robert Mondavi, Jacob’s Creek, Lindeman’s, Beringer, Kendall Jackson, Echo Domani, Chateau St, Michelle, Yellow Tail, Concha Y Toro, Gallo…even Joseph Drouhin brand is in the budget price game now. Those wines are standardized uniform and consistent, regular- even unvarying.

While it's tempting to stick to your "same old same old," usual’s… it's worth rolling the dice to find a new favorite at a low price. It's great to know that with all the good wines out there at this price range, the odds are now better than ever that you'll find winners.

 

Wines for the Thanksgiving season are Excellent with Turkey, Chicken and Fish dishes.

The Thanksgiving reds are the reds of Beaujolais, France.  These consist of of fruity (not to be confused with sweet) light to medium-bodied reds made from the Gamay grape. Excellent with Turkey, Chicken and Fish dishes. While Beaujolais Nouveau is the most popular, there are actually much higher quality Beaujolais Cru wines from this region. For light-bodied sips:

•Brouilly

•Mouin-A-Vent

•Fleurie

 

In Beaujolais, France there are also delicious white wines that are made from the Chardonnay grape as well in a crisp lighter style. If you find one, make sure you pick it up.

 

Light-bodied and tangy whites are excellent for Thanksgiving as well.

 

Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand can be great, but it’s got unflinching acidity.  he same grape bottled as Pouilly-Fume or Sancerre from France’s Loire Valley is much softer. These whites are still acidic, tangy and herbaceous just like you crave from S.B., but with a subtler sip full of fresh green apples.

 

Medium to full-bodied whites are great for the fall/winter holiday…

Grapes like Gerwurztraminer and Riesling are often perceived solely as sweet. Not so fast!

For drier versions of these two, head north to Alsace. Gewurztraminer is a spicy white, while Riesling is more floral. Riesling is actually among the most diverse grapes from bone dry to sugary sweet in styles.

For an eye-opening white wine experience:

•Trimbach

•Albrecht

•Hugel

 

Burgundy whites almost strictly made from Chardonnay grapes, but they will not be oaky or buttery whites – they’re leaner and elegant with hints of flint, chalk and minerality.

 

Here is America ‘Chablis’ lost its social status when it became the preferred name for jug wine in the U.S., however this classy white is far from a flat, bland bulk wine. Also made from 100% Chardonnay, it has little and most often no oak, boasting crisp, mineral-spiked sips.

Other whites from Burgundy include Pouilly-Fuisse and the lesser-known and thus less expensive Macon-Villages. Both are lighter than New World styles and show off Chardonnay’s subtleties without the interference of oak.

 

Another great one is Viognier which is often called Chardonnay’s sexy sister. They are similar in look and body but this glass of white from the Rhône region will surprise you. It’s very aromatic. Viogniers are not abundant, so drinking will cost you, but these striking floral whites are a really good pick for Thanksgiving time.

Do German Wines seem imtimidating??? Here is what to look out for to make it easier...

A friend of mine is going to Germany this fall and asked me to give him some info on German wines. I asked him if he preferred dry wines or sweet wines. He said “dry”. So, I told him;  "if you see the word ‘Trocken’ on the bottle, It means it is a dry wine. It will say it right on the bottle."

But there is a whole lot more too German wines. The labels are gothic with long never-ending words, but really it's not too hard to get a hold of the basics. But like most wine labels; all the information is packed in there.

I will give you some tips that I hope helps… Anyways it's Springtime and that which is the time for tasty whites.

When you first look at a German wine. I as I said earlier; check to see if the label has the word ‘Trocken’… If it does... it’s a dry wine. Also, check the alcohol level. If the alcohol level is 11%, 12% or higher; it is most likely a dry wine.

There are many regions in Germany. Those regions have their style and nuances. It is almost a profile…

 Let’s get started by comparing the regions:

Mosel, Saar, Ruwer: An exciting wine, with peach, minerality and from time to time has floral notes; it also has a real zippy acidity.

 

Pfalz, Baden, Württemberg: Full bodied and fatter wines, with ripe, sharp fruit and a strong backbone of acidity. You see more good Pinot Noir (Spatburgunder) from these areas because it’s a little cooler.

 

Nahe, Mittelrhein, Franken: The wine is clear and clean, it's vibrant with some mineral and likely to have steely metallic notes.

 

Rheingau: Elegant wines that are sleek, smooth and measured and some-times very serious.

 

Rheinhessen: a wine brimming with fresh fruit and wet stones, mineral and sometimes strong metallic and iron-like tones.

 

The German’s are also sticklers for Quality and have developed a system for Quality. But the old and out of date system is essentially flawed;...so you can’t always rely on it. It is more of a loose guide to go along with the profiles and styles just discussed earlier.

 

There are four quality levels;

 

Qualitätswein, or QbA(which is seen the the USA);

 

and the supposedly superior, Prädikatswein, or QmP.

 

If you the letters VDP. That is a level that is completely different

Members of the VDP, or Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter, a group of wineries, that rebelled against the system and created their own. The results up to debatable.

...remember, Generally, the VDP-logo itself indicates superior quality at all levels.

The VDP categories are:

 Gutswein: are the estate wines, dry

 Ortswein: are the village wine (from dry to sweet)

 Erste Lage: are first growth (which can be from dry to sweet), and they are from a single classified site

Grosse Lage: basically means grand cru (from dry to sweet), from a single classified site. Dry wines from a Grosse Lage can be labelled as Grosses Gewächs. The top-class dry wines have the VDP logo and the phrase Grosses Gewächs. Remember the VDP-logo means superior quality at all levels.

Take note of another main thing to look out for…The “Ripeness” of the wine. The German’s track that too (remember “Ripeness” does not necessarily mean sweetness):

 

Sometimes QmP, the label will include a Prädikat, one of five levels of ripeness level at harvest which might help you with picking a style you like.

 The Five Levels of Ripeness are:

 Dry Riesling are, from least ripe to most ripe: Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese.

 Kabinett: Light, with delicate structure, lots of fruit, noticeable aromas and lower alcohol.

 Spätlese: a lot more textured, rounder with more full-bodied mouthfeel than Kabinett.

Auslese: Much bigger in body and substance, often powerful and textured, but no fat. These can cellar for 20 years or more!

Beerenauslese: Which really means ‘berry select’ such as harvested berry by berry which brings the wine up to desert wine category,

Trockenbeerenauslese: here is where you need to bay attention…The ‘Trocken’ means ‘dry berry select’, shriveled with botrytis…so it is a intensely sweet wine and complex dessert wine.

Bonus:

There are the popular and famous frozen grape wines Eiswein...

They are real sweet and have so much of that acidity. The sweetness levels are like the Trockenbeerenauslese (you might see halbtrocken on a bottle, which means half dry, when they play with the sweetness levels…)

I am sure I’ll hear from my friend after this. But go ahead and take this out for a spin and seek some German wines today!