Muscat of Hamburg: Doing double duty as a table grape and a wine grape

Muscat of Hamburg (also known as Golden Hamburg, Black Hamburg, and Muscat de Hamburg, among 100 other synonyms) is the weakest of the muscats, in terms of aromas and flavor profile, and its origins are somewhat murky, but that has not prevented this black-skinned variety from gaining traction around the world as both a table and a wine grape.

The characteristics of the cultivar are as follows:

• Vine
• High-yielding
• Bunches
• Medium-to-large
• Conical
• Well-filled
• Berries
• Blue-black
• Medium-to-large
• Oval shaped
• Shiny
• Seeded
• Firm skin
• Soft and juicy pulp with strong muscat flavor
• Sweet
• Medium-ripening
• Wines
• Ruby colored
• Low alcohol.

Muscat of Hamburg

DNA analysis has shown that the variety is the result of a cross between Schiava Grossa (Trollinger) and Muscat of Alexandria. One origin story has the crossing as the handiwork of one R. Snow who operated greenhouses in Bedfordshire, England in the mid-1800s. An alternative history has the crossing occurring in Hamburg (Germany) with the variety cultivated therein from the mid-1830s and from whence it made its way to England around 1850. In England, large quantities were grown in greenhouses by Snow and a colleague named Venn. England was the launch point for the crossing's journey around the world.

In France, Muscat of Hamburg is used both as a table grape and a wine grape. In the Vaucluse department (southern Rhone) there is a table grape AOC called Muscat du Ventoux. There are a total of 2325 ha of the vines planted in the country. 

In Eastern Europe, the crossing is used to make light, dry red wines. Two hundred and fifty-four ha of vines are planted in Moldova, 350 in North Macedonia, 624 ha in Serbia, 180 ha in Russia, and 12 ha in Hungary.

In Germany the wine grape is called Muscat-Trollinger and its cultivation can be traced all the way back to 1850. A total of 113 ha is planted of which 109 can be found in the Würtemberg area. Other European countries have distributions as follows: Italy, 22 ha; Greece, 2288 ha; Spain, 125 ha; and Switzerland, 0.1 ha.

China and Japan use the grape for table wine blends while the USA (113 ha, primarily in CA but with representation from VA, OR, TX, NY (Ice wine), and Washington), Canada (Vancouver Island), Uruguay (1267 ha), and Australia (35 ha) round out the "New World" contribution.

Muscat of Hamburg shows deeply colored skin but that color does not transfer to wines made from the grapes. Wines are generally a light blush or rosé style lacking in both acidity and character. Some dessert wines have been made from overripe grapes while some producers have used long hang time to tease out a more aromatic wine.

Muscat of Hamburg grapes have been used in some Greek PGI wines and I will explore those in future posts.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The PDO Muscat wines of Greece

In this series I have been delving into the Muscat cultivar. With my most recent post on the Muscats of Patras and Rio Patras, I have completed coverage of the Greek instances of the cultivar and I have summarized the wines in the below chart.

Some observations re the wines:

• With two exceptions (Muscats of Patras and Rio Patras), the wines are all sourced from grapes grown in island environments
• With the exception of Lemnos, the wines are all from the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains cultivar
• The wines are mostly sweet wines either made from sun-dried grapes or are fortified. PDO Lemnos is a dry Muscat.
• The wines are all 100% Muscats except in the case of the Cretan wines where the Muscat can be a minor contributor in the blend
• Within the various PDO regions, the muscats are known by a variety of names: Moschoudi, Muscat of Cephalonia, Moschato Spinas, Muscat of Rhodes, Moschato Aspro, and Moschato Alexandrias (Muscat of Alexandria from Lemnos).

I will continue the review of the variety with a look at the Muscats of Italy going forward.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The sweet white wines of the Achaia PGI (Greece): PDO Muscats of Patras and Rio Patras

I have, in this series, covered all of the Greek Muscat wines with the exception of the Muscats of Patras and Rio Patras. I address that shortcoming in this post.

Achaia is one of the largest wine producing regions in Greece, with vineyards stretching over 27,000 ha. As shown in the map below, the region includes four PDOs within its borders in addition to the Vineyards of Egialia. Most of Achaia's territory lie on the slopes of three steep mountains and these act as barriers to the hot winds blowing from the south.

Apart from some coastal areas, the only low lying part of the region is found in the western part of the prefecture and the vineyards here are influenced  by the proximity to the sea. These vineyards are at the door-step of the mountain ranges and they are influenced by the cooler aromatic winds coming from the mountains as well as sea breezes during the summer. However, this is the parcel with the richest, most fertile, soils, as well as the warmest mesoclimates. The flat part of Achaia is the "work-horse" of Achaia's grape output, capable of producing everyday wines of good quality and great value, as well as some of the best sweet wines made in Greece (winesofwesterngreece.com).

The map below further zooms in on the Achaia PGI in order to provide more expansive views of the Muscat of Patras and Muscat of Rio Patras PDOs.

Muscat of Patras and Muscat of Rio Patras PDOs
(Source: delongwine.com)

The climate is Mediterranean, with long, dry summers and short rainy winters modified by the Gulf of Patras to the northwest and the Gulf of Corinth to the northeast.

The geography of Patras varies from the seaside in the north to high mountain peaks in the south, with a largely rugged mountainous interior. Vineyards are planted from the coastal areas to higher altitudes in the mountains to the south. Vineyards above 900 m enjoy a cooler growing season with higher diurnal temperature variation. 

Muscat grapes (called Moschoudi in this PGI) prefer the warmer environments closer to the shores and are used in Patras in the production of sweet white wines from sun-dried grapes (vin naturellement doux) as well as through termination of fermentation using grape alcohol (vin deux naturel (vin de liqueur)).

The PDO of Rio Patras is a smaller overlapping appellation which covers the coastal areas to the east. The warmer environemnt allows for riper, sweeter  grapes than in Patras and, as a result, wines that are more "fruit-forward."

Achea Claus, the oldest winery in the region (1861) produces both a sun-dried and a fortified wine. I will use their production processes as a proxy for the region's. 

For the wine made from sun-dried grapes, the grapes are exposed to the sun for about 3 to 4 days. They become dehydrated and acquire additional sugar content and aromas. The grapes are then subjected to a white wine vinification.

For the fortified wine, grape alcohol is added to the must prior to the start of alcoholic fermentation. The wine thus preserves all of the grape sugars and the varietal aromas.

Achaia Claus describes its Muscat of Patras thusly: "Light golden color with green hues with honey and lemon scents composing a highly aromatic bouquet. Its lively acidity level binds the flavors and boosts the basic flavor and structures of this great sweet wine. The finish is long with a prevailing taste of honey."

The Muscat of Rio Patras is limited in its production and is lauded for its aromatic depth, persistence, acidity, and complexity. Aromas and flavors revolve around dried apricots, pears, and orange notes.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Donnafugata Pantelleria wines: 2021 Lighea Sicilia DOC Zibibbo and 2021 Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria DOC

I have previously reported on the grape-growing environment, viticultural practices, and wine types associated with the Zibibbo grapes grown on the island of Pantelleria. Herein I explore two of the wines produced from grapes grown in that environment: Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria DOC 2021 and Donnafugata Lighea Zibibbo Sicilia DOC 2021.

"The Rallo family has been making wine in Sicily since 1851, adopting the Donnafuguta name in 1983." The company operates two estates in western Sicily, one in the southeast, a fourth in the northeast (on the slopes of Mt. Etna), and a fifth on Pantelleria. Each has distinctive growing conditions, allowing Donnafugata to produce an impressive range of fine wines using both indigenous and international grape varieties" (nuvomagazine.com). 

The grapes for Donnafugata Pantelleria wines are sourced from the Contrade highlighted in the map below. Not shown on the map is the fact that the vineyards are planted on terraced slopes hewn out of the deep, fertile, lava-origin, sandy, mineral-endowed soils.

(Source: Donnafugata)

Donnafugata has planted 68 ha of vines on Pantelleria; 2500 vines/ha for Ben Ryé (2500 - 3600 vines/ha for Lighea) with yields of 4 - 5 tons/ha (5 - 6 tons/ha for the Lighea). The vines average 60 years of age with some of the ungrafted Phylloxera survivors being in excess of 100 years old.

Grapes are ready for harvesting between late July and early August. Harvesting is done by hand, with portions of the earliest-harvested grapes placed in the intense sunlight to reduce the moisture content and concentrate the bounty.

A second harvest takes place in early September. The grapes are selected in the field and further sorted on a vibrating table prior to pressing, followed by fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

It is at this point that the paths of the Ben Ryé and the Lighea diverge. The must intended for Lighea is brought to full fermentation, aged for 2 months in tanks, and further aged in bottle for 3 months prior to release on the market.

Ben Ryé fermentation, on the other hand, extends over one month. First, the previously dried grapes are destemmed, hand-selected, and batch-entered into the fermenting fresh wine must. During maceration, the dried grapes contribute "sweetness allied with freshness, acidity, and unique, persistent aromas." The Ben Ryé is aged for 7 months in stainless steel and an additional 12 months in bottle before release.

I tasted the 2021 vintages of both wines.

That was an excellent year for grape growing on Pantelleria. Rainfall levels were lower than normal and a warm August lowered grape quantity. Quality, however, was very high.

The Lighea was popped and poured. Hint of mint, green flowers, and green herbs on the nose initially. Sweet fruit coming to the fore with the passage of time. Bright on the palate, giving way to lime and dried citrus skin. Stony minerality and bitter finish. Over time settles down to a fresh, non-complex, young, dry white wine. Tasted 24 hours later and this wine was popping. Mint, turpentime, and lime on the palate with retention of the bitter finish. Brightness from beginning to end.

The Ben Ryé showed sweet citrus notes along with burnt orange, white raisins, and molasses. Complex, layered wine on the nose and palate. Thick, rich, viscous and enveloping of all aspects of the palate. Balanced. Rich, creamy, saline finish.

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Ben Ryé is a highly regarded Passito wine described by Millon (Italy in a Wine Glass) as "... a glorious, wondrous expression of the fermented grape: at once concentrated and complex, yet at the same time fragrant and exhilarating." It is a wonderful wine.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

PDO Muscat of Rhodes

My exploration of the Muscat family of cultivars continues herein with Greece's PDO Muscat of Rhodes. The Greek Muscat wines studied to date have been, with the exception of Muscat of Lemnos, drawn from the small-berried (Petits Grains) instance of this cultivar family. PDO Muscat of Rhodes is no exception.

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese Islands and, based on archaeological evidence was one of the first Greek islands to engage in the cultivation of grapes.

PDO Muscat of Rhodes (indicated by arrow)

Wine exportation was a key aspect of ancient Rhodian commerce and the amphorae in which their wines were transported were engraved with either a rose or an image of the Sun God Helios. Wine production. Wine production and exportation retained their importance until Rhodes was overrun by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1522.

Rhodes experiences mild winters and long summers, the latter of which is moderated by cool winds form the north. Winters are short and rainy.

The island's early geological history shows deposits of cherry limestone in the shallow waters to the north in the 210 - 65 million years ago. Subsequent compression of the crust led to the formation of mountains which themselves eroded over time. Finally, basins developed and infilled with marls, which make fertile soils. The oldest limestones were erosion-resistant and represent the highest point on the island today. The dominant soil types currently are clay and limestone. 

PDO Muscat of Rhodes can be 100% Muscat of Rhodes or can be made from a clone called Muscat di Trani (called Moscato di Triani Reale in Puglia) which was introduced by the Italians during their rule of the Dodecanese from 1912 to 1947. Muscat of Rhodes vineyards  are few and "scattered on small isolated lanes of land" and today there are only "a handful" of vineyards planted to Muscat di Trani.

The wine is available in two styles:

• Vin naturellement doux (sun-dried)
• Vin doux naturel - Vin du liqueur (fortified).

If the grapes are sourced from a low-yield, producer-owned vineyard, the wine can be labeled Grand Cru. 

The white Muscat from Rhodes has "outstanding complexity" with notes of fragrant rose petals and ripe fruit. It is refreshing on the palate with moderate acidity and great aging potential. Muscat of Rhodes made from the Muscat di Trani has notes akin to the Muscat of Lemnos.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Puglia's Moscato di Trani

I have been flipping between the Muscat wines of Greece, Italy, and Turkey and between the Petits Grains and Alexandria branches of the Muscat family and my hope was to close out the Greek phase of the review by reporting on the Muscats of Rhodes, Patras, and Rio Patras. But, the best laid plans ...

In studying the PDO Muscat of Rhodes, I discovered that the wine can contain both Muscat of Rhodes and Muscat di Trani. That was a blow because my approach does not allow passing mentions so I would have to contextualize Muscat di Trani before listing it as a component of PDO Muscat of Rhodes. Herein the contextualization of Muscat di Trani.

Moscato di Trani, is considered one of the oldest wines in Puglia, with a history stretching back to 1000 AD when the Venetians began to offer it in trade; even signing an agreement called the Trani Customs House. The wine eventually became so popular that, in the 14th century, the Count of Trani placed a limit on the export of quality wine from the ports of the Kingdom of Naples.

In the 16th Century, Moscato di Trani was described by the artist Leandro Alberti as "a product so excellent as to be very delicate in taste."

Today Moscato di Trani is grown primarily in Puglia's Bari province, in vineyards close to the Adriatic Sea. The climate is Mediterranean while the soils are limestone and clay. 

Moscato di Trani DOC (Map ©Federdoc)

The region gained its DOC status in 1974 and, under that regime, the following wines are allowed:

• Dolce Naturale: > 85% Moscato Reale di Trani; < 15% other aromatic white grapes; 10% abv; RS > 3.5%; Aging > 6 months
• Liquoroso: > 85% Moscato Reale di Trani; < 15% other aromatic white grapes; 16% abv; RS > 3.5%; Aging > 5 months.

According to Domenico Valenti of the Pandala Agricultural Company, the grapes for Moscato di Trani are dried directly on the plant without cutting the shoots or placing the bunches on racks. During the growth phase the grapes are subjected to green pruning.

Azienda agricola Francesco di Filippo

… continues the tradition by working its own Moscato Reale grapes through a refinement process based on naturalness, simplicity and professionalism, all essential elements to make its wines * Ecstasy * Unique and Unmistakable. The grapes are ripe for harvest in the first ten days of August, but by choice they are harvested late at the end of October, when the bunches have dried naturally on the vine until they reach an ideal concentration of intense and persistent aromas and scents. We wait for Mother Nature to take her slow and natural course, totally different from artificial drying in greenhouses more commonly called fruit rooms with artificial hot air to accelerate ripening or bunches spread out on racks in the sun.  

During the manual harvest, only the healthy bunches are chosen, while the bunches with mold (botrytis cinerea) are not collected, so as not to compromise the extraordinary organoleptic qualities of the wine's nectar, in order to obtain an elegant and entrancing wine.  

Another important and fundamental element is the Time factor (our ally) as the wine is left to rest and mature only and exclusively in stainless steel silos for several years so that it can refine and release its personality made of intense aromas and aromas, persistent and elegant deriving from the native vine and above all from its territory of origin (Trani).

Ilaria Introzzi, writing in marieclaire.it, describes the aromas and flavors of Muscato di Trani thusly:

First of all, the muscat grape, which is followed closely by honeyed and buttery notes, with a strong presence of hints of yellow fruit jam (apricot, peach, etc...) as well as the aromas of yellow and strongly odorous flowers such as acacia, linden, broom, to move on to dried flowers, withered rose in particular, until it then widens to pleasant hints of tropical fruit, from pineapple to mango, papaya, until it opens to elegant and clean citrus saline notes, to spicy aromas of vanilla, star anise, white chocolate, with a light and pleasant almond finish.

Rather breathless but captures the kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors inherent in the wine.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) wines of Pantelleria

In his book Italy in a Wine Glass, Marc Millon refers to the Donnafugata Ben Ryè Passito di Pantelleria as 

... a glorious, wondrous expression of the fermented grape: at once concentrated and complex, yet at the same time fresh and exhilarating. The bouquet is intensely fragrant, with aromas of dried apricots, candied citrus zest and notes of Mediterranean thyme and rosemary. The considerable sweetness that comes from the dried grapes is balanced by fresh acidity and minerality. The finsh is long and persistent, truly a vino da meditazione.

This wine is the result of heroic viticulture surrounding the Zibibbo variety grown on the island of Pantelleria. Zibibbo is the name given to Muscat of Alexandria grapes grown on Pantelleria. I continue my coverage of the Muscat family with a review of this region, the variety, and the wine (s).

Pantelleria

"Pantelleria is a tiny volcanic island located in the Sicilian Channel between mainland Sicily and the coast of North Africa. Its history of habitation mirrors that of Sicily, the native peoples taken over successively by Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese and more. It is a harsh and windswept land with severe climatic conditions" (Millon).

Pantelleria (Source: en-academic.com)

The island, according to vinipantelleria.doc.it, "... has developed a strong peasant tradition and culture over time" with three main habitation centers (Pantelleria, Scauri, Khamma) and numerous other smaller districts. Its landscape "is a rugged mix of black lava shapes, dramatic and jagged cliffs that descend straight into the sea, hot springs, a thermal lake, the occasional palm tree, terraced farms, and ... densely packed aromatic shrubs" (dreamofitaly.com). These "wild and uncontaminated" landscapes alternate with thousands of kilometers of dry stone walls, constructed by humans over an extended period of time.

The climate is subtropical Mediterranean with mild, low-rain (460 mm/year) winters but it is dry and hot during the growing season with strong, warm winds blowing in off the North African coast. The original Arab name for the island was Bint al-Riyāh (Daughter of the Winds) in honor of those strong winds. Constant sea breezes moderate the daytime summer temperatures.

The volcanic-origin sandy soils are deep, loose, and mineral-endowed.

Zibibbo

Zibibbo is the Sicilian name give to the Muscat of Alexandria variety. This triple-threat (wine, table and raisin) cultivar has been grown in the Mediterranean area for thousands of years and exhibits relatively insignificant genetic variation over that time. The origin of the variety is unclear but the official name suggests some association with the Nile Delta -- and the ancient city of Alexandria -- while the name Zibibbo (Arabic origin word that translates to "dried grape") attests to its use by the Arabs during their occupation of the area.

Two main Zibibbo biotypes have been identified in Pantelleria and they are characterized in the figure below.

Zibibbo biotypes: A -- Golden-yellow, loose bunches; higher alcohol potential;
milder acidity; wines with solid structure and great longevity. B -- Green berries;
medium compact bunches; lower-alcohol, higher-acidity, and thinner-structured
wines (Source: cantinebarbera.it)

Outside of the biotype differences, Zibibbo grapes contain high levels of terpenes and "super concentrations" of linalool, geraniol, and nerol, compounds responsible for the wine's intense aroma. The grape is resilient in that, while sensitive to extreme humidity, it is resistant to botrytis, drought, and hot climates. It is susceptible to downy mildew and highly susceptible to powdery mildew.

Viticulture

A typical Pantelleria vineyard landscape is illustrated below and the elements of the viticultural environment are immediately following.

Typical Pantelleria landscape with vines
(Source: wikipedia.com)

The viticultural scheme, as inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural List of Humanity (2014), is called Alberello Pantesco and is, according to donnafugata.it, both a creative and a sustainable practice:

Creative because founded on the 'hollow', the cradle dug in the soil to receive the vine, protect it from the wind, nourish it with the night-time humidity that is collected and not lost. Creative because the pruning system makes the plant grow horizontally and almost creeping along the ground, and therefore able to survive the constant wind that blows on the island. Sustainable because its cultivation is entirely manual, because the terraces sustained by dry stone walls delineate the landscape of Pantelleria and defend it from erosion.

Typical head-trained bush vines of Pantelleria
(Source: vinipantelleria.doc.it)

The Wines

The various Pantelleria DOC wine styles are shown in the chart below.

Sweet Wines

Grapes are harvested -- by hand -- early for dry and sparkling wines and late for the Passito wines.

A typical Pantelleria Passito wine has two components: a base wine (or fresh must) and the raisinated grape. "Grapes closer to the water achieve more ripeness and serve as the best candidates for raisination." 

Grapes for raisination are dried for between 2 to 4 weeks on mats under the sun in open-air racks (stenditoio), or in drying tunnels or tents (serre). The hot, dry winds that are a feature of the environment aid in this drying process; 8 lbs of fresh grapes yields 2 lbs of dried grapes.

For wine assembly, the raisinated grape is pressed then added to the base wine/fresh must. The pressing splits the grape, allowing the release of acid, sugars, and aroma and flavor compounds into the base when added.

Dry Wines

The first Pantelleria dry wine was introduced by Marco Di Bartolo in the early 1980s but today every major producer has a dry wine in its arsenal. 

In the case of Donnafugata, its Lighea dry wine is the base wine of its Passito blend. Di Bartolo currently has two dry wines on offer. The first is Pietranera, the first ever dry wine on the island. This wine is vinified and aged in stainless steel. The second wine -- Intiger -- is fermented in used barrels and amphorae and spends some time on the skins. It is aged on the lees. 

Most producers source grapes for dry or base wines from higher elevations in order to ensure the highest possible levels of freshness and acidity.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme