Moscato Giallo Wines

The aromatic Goldmuskateller - a rediscovery

Legend has it that the ancient Romans discovered the Goldmuskateller wine during their expeditions to the north in what is now the Trentino-Alto Adige growing region. From here, this warmth-loving grape variety spread to all regions of Italy with nutrient-rich soils and sheltered locations. In the international connoisseur circles of the late 20th century, wines with (noble) sweet ageing potential tended to lead a shadowy existence. At the beginning of this millennium, however, strongly aromatic bouquets experienced something of a renaissance: grape varieties with intensely fruity yet fresh aromas such as Scheurebe, Gewürztraminer and (Gold-)Muskateller once again became the public's favorites.

Where does Goldmuskateller grow best?

Muscat grape varieties can be found in almost all wine-growing countries. Goldmuskateller (Moscato Giallo) prefers light, nutrient-rich soils in warm locations. On moist ("fat") soils with a high clay content, it tends to rot; frost does not suit it at all. With a share of 1.7 percent of the vineyard area, it is one of the more "secret stars" of its region of origin, the Alto Adige. Here, Goldmuskateller wine is often found as a single-varietal wine. Wine lovers are more likely to come across higher quality cuvees with Moscato Giallo, for example in the Dolomites region at the Tenuta Ritterhof winery or in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the range of the Azienda Agricola Livon.

The international career of Moscato Giallo

The rise of the golden muscatel from South Tyrol initially inspired winemakers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Croatia and Switzerland to cultivate this grape variety, with Austria following suit in 2018. The Federal Variety Office had already approved the Goldmuskateller a year earlier. The Bickel-Stumpf winery, for example, produces an exciting blend of Elbling, Gewürztraminer, Goldmuskateller, Gutedel, Muskateller, Riesling and Silvaner. This Gemischter Satz - how could it be otherwise with such a variety of flavors - goes perfectly with spicy dishes with a Mediterranean or Asian touch, such as a delicate curry or gratinated sheep's cheese.

And finally, a warning: potential for confusion

VIVC (Vitis International Variety Catalogue), the grape variety database of the Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants, lists over 20 synonyms for the Goldmuskatellers/Moscato Giallo. In the Padua region, the Goldmuskateller is called "Fior d'Arancio" - but is not identical to the Orangenblütenmuskateller, which originally comes from the Palatinate. Occasionally, there is also confusion between Goldmuskateller and one of its (presumed) predecessors, Gelber Muskateller, a somewhat less robust variety with denser growing berries and thinner skin.