Ep. 2002 Moscato and Raboso Families by Barbara Fitzgerald | Italian Grape Geek

The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian winegeeks around the world. Support the show by donating at Italian wine podcast dot com. Donate five or more Euros, and we'll send you a copy of our latest book. My Italian Great Peak journal. Absolutely free. To get your free copy of my Italian GreatGeek journal, click support us at italian wine podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pots. Welcome to the Italian Great Geek Podcast. Join us as we explore personal stories of travel and tasting with Italy's must know grape varietals. Chart your own course with my Italian Great Geek Journal. Your personal tasting companion to accompany the series. Available now on Amazon with thanks to Colangelo and partners for their generous support with this project. Hi, everyone. This is Barbara Fitzgerald. I'm an Italian wine Ambassador based in both Sanoma County, California, and Pulia, Italy. I own a wine marketing agency that serves wineries in both California and Italy. I'm also married to a winemaker. I come from a family who's been in the wine industry for about hundred years. So wine is really my life in always. And, of course, I'm especially proud to be an Italian wine ambassador because my Italian roots mean so much to me, and because I really think this is the most incredible wine community out there. Okay. So let's get down to the to the geeky stuff. Today, we're gonna delve into a couple families of autochtinous Italian grape, and we're gonna start with kind of a big one, an important one, the Muscactile family, or if you're talking about them thoroughly, the Moscati. So not all the muscato grapes are related, but many of them have been found to share common ancestry, which makes them more of a family than just a group. And in this family, there are over two hundred varieties, actually around the world with the name muscato and they range from table grapes to wine grapes. The traits of muscato grapes can vary pretty widely. So they showcase a spectrum of skin colors that can be anything from sunny, yellow, to really blushing pink, or rosy red, and somehow some pretty rich garnet hues. So what it is that truly unites his family is the distinct, an enchanting aroma. So that muscatya sense that's often referred to as muscat and is characterized by a really delightful blend of orange blossom, pineapple, honey, sage, and rose notes. These aromas come from three specific terpenes, which are aromatic molecules, which are commonly found in most of these muscato grapes, and those are linalool, geraniol, and murals. So in the muscato family, some of the most significant grapes are white grapes. If you've got muscato bianco, muscato di alessandria, mosquato, and then with red grapes, we have Mosquato, Mosquito. And then with red grapes, we have Mosquato, Musquato, and Mosquito. So let's dig into a few of those now. First, Muscato Bianco. This is really kind of the key player of the Moscato family, super refined floral aromas, and a really distinct flavor profile. Scrape traces its roots back to the early fourteenth century and has really strong ties with Syria and Greece. A significant milestone for Moskoto Bianco is its crossing with Esta Koilo, which is a Greek grape known for its high high yields. And this crossing created Zbebo or Muscato de la Sanrio. Likely, this crossing occurred in either Greece or Italy. We can't pinpoint exactly, but then that pairing of Muscato Pianco and Estacuero together are are most likely the parents of many of the Moscato varieties, whether through intentional crossing or spontaneous crossing. Throughout history, Muscato Bianco has been really prosperous in a few regions of Italy, but really its true home is in the Alashandria province of Pimonte, where it's been since the thirteen hundreds. The grape really gained a lot of prominence when the Duke of Savoya introduced legislation in the fifteenth century that promoted local muscato production and really kind of made it an enduring grape. It's incredibly versatile and also abundant, but Muscato Bianco is really cultivated around the world internationally. It's grown as, Muscotte Blanc in France or Mosquatell de Gurano Pequeno in Spain, which are all names that really tip their hat to the small size of the berries. And I mentioned it's really kind of mostly grown in Pimonte, in Italy, but it's very adaptable. So it can also thrive in some warmer climates like Cicily, and Pudia, and Sardinia. From a Screto Bianco, we get a really kind of delightful mix of rose, white peach, apricot, sage, thyme, and a really, like, quintessential characteristic, grapey essence. The aromatic veric versatility of this grape makes it an ideal choice for various wine styles. So the most common that you may have heard of is the sweet, low alcohol sparkling Moskato dosti, but we can also see it made in a light bodied dry or off dry still lime. And even the Demia Tardiva late harvest from air dried grapes and also fortified wines. Some of the benchmark producers are Laquadrina in Piamonte and also marabino in Sicily. What's the time one time it seems like muscato Dusti and it's derivatives are really everywhere. In fact, interestingly enough, my family once upon a time, and Sonoma County used to produce a California muscatel, but it's losing popularity these days, and it kinda bums me out because I think it's really in line with current consumer preferences, you know, low in alcohol, deeply rooted in heritage. So maybe this is my plug to get people drinking more of it. It is sweet, but I love it poured over ice in the summertime for, like, a super refreshing, aperitivo, and not all, you know, sweetness levels are not universal across the board. You can find some that are that are a little less sweet. Okay. Another great. Muscato de la Sandria. So we're gonna talk now about an island office Sicily called, which is actually closer to Tunisia in Africa than it is to Sicily just to give you an idea of kind of like how far south this is from Sicily and mainland Italy. This island is a young volcanic island that's home to Moscato de la Sandria, or as it's locally known, Zebito. Those two names are interchangeable. The origins of this grape trace back to Southern Italy or Greece and it's teeth and drought resistant, which makes it perfect for warm climate. And it's actually also popular as a table grape. It's got a large thick skin berries, which make it ideal for drying without the risk of rot or botrytis. Zedivo or Muscato de lasandrias is richer than Moscato bianco and Moscato which we'll talk about next. And really kinda has an aromatic profile that's defined by lower linalool and higher gerranial content. So we get lots of flavors of raisin, caramel, orange, and sweet figs, as well as a really distinct sailing quality. When it's made in a dry style, Mosquato di panteleria wine is really fresh and dry and aromatic. With, lots of dried herbs and lily of the valley, ginger, and apricot. If it's made from air dried grapes, it's called passitodipontaleria, which is a sticky sweet and lusciously creamy wine with, like, orange marmalade, honey aromas, It can also be made which is, a fortified wine. But I really wanna spend a moment here talking about passito dipan teleria because many people call it Italy's most extravagant dessert wine. In historical context, it was romanticized by, by Casanova as an offering to his lovers. The wine achieves a minimum residual sugar of one hundred and ten grams per liter, so making it comparable to Sotaren or or muscovy. And I wanna talk a little bit about not just a here a benchmark producer, but a hero producer, which is Sonafogatta. So the first time I tried there, Ben Rier, Pacito di Penzaleria, was during my Via course in twenty twenty three. And I have to be honest, I was so stressed about studying for my exam that I don't think I was able to fully appreciate it in that moment. But then this year, when I attended Opena wine before we need to leave Donifogante was there pouring this wine, I have to say that in a fee of Italian excellence, the Benrier just knocked my socks off. The Raulo family, the owners of Jennifer Gante, and their winemaker, Peter Russo, were all there. And it truly felt like I was amongst keepers of history, drinking a wine that is tremendously difficult to make and requires incredible dedication to produce. So it just felt so special and not to mention the wine was so surprising with how bright and balanced it was. I think is delicious with sicilian cassata, which is a traditional sicilian cake that is made with ricotta cheese, fruits, and a sweetened ricotta sweet cream filling, but I also really like savory sweet pairing. So I think it's also really good with some foie gras as the the wine sweetness will really balance the richness of the of the foie gras. Okay. So we're gonna go way back up north. We're gonna leave Sicily and head back up to the northeastern regions of Italy where you'll discover Moscato This is an aromatic grape that thrives in Benito, twenty, and three will leave in it. So, Julia. Please a starring role and two distinct wines from Coli Eugenae, the and the And interestingly, both wines can be still sparkling or pacitos. So we really get a range of taste experiences with these muscato jello from Fueley. Moving away from Fueley, you'll find noteworthy muscato jello lines in tentino, DOC, and they're often labeled as Golden Muscatellar, the German name for the grape. So compared to Muscato Bianco and Zebivo, Muscato jello is definitely less grapey and less briny with a lower acidity that gives it a kind of sweeter taste, a sweeter perception in your mouth. I think flavors and aromas are really these kind of delightful bouquet of yellow flowers sweet spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, some white pepper, orange blossom, and lychee fruit, and some top notch producers to look for out there are the excellent co op, Cantina Kaledai and Erstinoya and Ulta Adije, and also vinyalta and Benito. It's pretty challenging to find muscato jello in my area, but if you find it in yours, definitely give it a try. I think it really complements spice forward dishes like Indian curries or Moroccan tagines and those dishes can often be harder to pair with wines. So fun opportunity could await there. Alright. Now we're gonna head east from Franli and Quintino Alto adige to the picturesque hills surrounding Bergamo in Lombaria, where we discover a rare gem known as Moscato Discanzo. This is an aromatic red grape that is often compared to Alliatico, but really Rescato Discanzo has a personality of its own. Muscato Discanzo is a docG wine, So we know production is really strictly regulated to ensure highest quality. This is an air dried sweet wine that boasts a really distinct red berry fragrance with compliments of cocoa and violet I find really fascinating is it's high yet balanced acidity, making it kind of a nice treat for your palate with those interesting flavors. Let's be careful though, not to confuse this with or which are not synonyms of Moscato Discanzo. And if you're curious to try it, a is a benchmark producer worth seeking out traditional pairings for a Moscato Discanzo would be a sweet treat like a chocolate based dessert or a very robust cheese like gorgonzola. But for something a little outside of the box, I think it could be really good with, like, a really hearty braised short rib and, like, the sweetness and the fragrance of the wine brings some lift to the meat. So the last of the family, the Moscato family I'll mention is Moscato which despite its name rosa, which means pink in Italian, don't be fooled, neither the berries nor the wine itself are pink. In fact, muscatarosa is actually a really deep garnet color, but the name comes from the wine's captivating aroma of red roses. Some recent genetic research has confirmed that Moscato rosette is related to Moscato, Moscato, Moscato, and and zebivo. So We've got a great family tree here. You'll typically find muscatorosa made in two distinct styles. So there is a very sweet version that would be made from air dried grapes, and then a moderately sweet version that would be made from late harvested Vindemia Tardiva. Great. The wines are typically pretty rich and full bodied, with some people even saying they are, quote, good enough to eat. The aroma and flavor profiles combine a lot of those red rose notes with strawberry jam, raspberry, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. In alto ajide, muscatarosa is known as rose and muscateller. And keep in mind that muscatarosa is not the same thing as wines labeled pink muscat, which usually come from outside of Italy and are generally made by blending Moscato Bianco with a little bit of red grape juice. A benchmark producer of muscato rossa is Avacia de novachella, and I think that this would be really good with something that is strawberry based, maybe like a, you know, dessert strawberry shortcake or a tart of some kind. But again, because I really love savory sweet pairings. I think it could be so good with a pork tenderloin that's prepared with some kind of fruit based reduction. Are you enjoying this podcast? Don't forget to visit our YouTube channel, mama jumbo shrimp for fascinating videos covering Stevie Kim and her travels across Italy and beyond. Meeting winemakers, eating local food, and taking in the scenery. Now back to the show. Okay. Let's move on to another family called Verboso Family. So this is a family of very two closely related red grapes that are pretty high not pretty high, really high in ten and an an acid. They are deeply colored, but they do tend to lose their color fast. These two grapes are ribosso piave and ribosso veronesa. Let's talk about ribosso piave first. It's actually one of Italy's oldest grape varieties. The first mentions of it date back to sixteen seventy nine. It's known for its super striking, high acidity, robust tannins, deep color, and it's also a long bin, a really popular blending partner. But as international varieties like Cabernet and Merlo have begun not begun to have gains more providence over time. This ancient Italian Greek kind of fell out of favor due to some of that acidity, which can sometimes be harsher. The name Mirobo So cabin likely comes either from a similarly named tributary off the Pialverde River, which meanders through the production zone of Veneto. And another theory is that it connects it to the Italian verb, ravioso, meaning angry, which is a nod to its characteristically high tannin and acidity levels. So adding to the confusions, this variety is sometimes called, due to the belief that it originated in Priuleven at Sierra Julien. But don't mix it up with robo sopriulato, which is actually a synonym for robo sop veronese. Despite its somewhat temperamental nature, robo sopriale is actually really adaptable and can thrive in various soils. It is early budding and late ripening, which makes it vulnerable to spring frost and autumn rains. To tame the grapes really high, nalic, and tartaric acid, a lot of growers are experimenting with techniques like de leafing, late harvesting, and air drying, and some are even using clonal selection to develop grapes that already have lower acidity and tan and wall, maintaining the unique flavor profiles of Grublso Piave. Great. So while Grublso Piave may have a angry side, the well made wines actually offer really intense aromas of strawberry and black cherry and violet tobacco black pepper with the pepper balanced kind of extraction and and fruit sweetness, the acidity can actually be quite refreshing. Producers often age the wines in wood to further smooth out the high acidity. And as I mentioned, some, wines are actually crafted from air dried grapes, which yield a really smooth kind of velvety luscious experience that remissen of a lighter style, amerone. And then on the other hand, some late harvested grapes result in really fresh and refined wines And because of their super high tenant content, ribosso piave grapes aren't really the best choice for for sweet wines. Benchmark producer of this really unique grape is chiqueta, and it's a key production areas are piave doc, and Panioli Fiolado, DOCG in Veneto. So the other family member here is Aruboso Veronese, which is a crossing of Ruboso Piave with Marzamina Bianca. This crossing likely happen in verona, hence the name, but really the the grape is local to the to the area in a different part of the men at home. So ribosso veronese balances the kind of harsher elements of its parent grape, often lower acidity, lower tenon and having a little bit more of enhanced aromatic qualities. The scrape I would say is more delicate, definitely more floral, more graceful. I think all of these characteristics make it a really versatile choice for blends. So winemakers often tear it with the bolder, to create a really harmonious and complex line. In comparison, it has a more moderate vigor in the vineyard and can also adapt very well to various soils. If aromatic profile includes sour cherry, blackberry, plum, and then some heads of violet, spice, and sometimes maybe some earthy or leathery notes, The wine is typically just still and dry with robust tannins and high acidity that make it pretty suitable for aging. Monovirietal expressions of robozovic and is it are less common, whereas it's easier to find some mono varietal ribosso piave wines due to the high acidity and tenon of ribosso wines they pair well with rich fatty foods that can really balance the astringency. So think of grilled meats, game, robust pasta dishes. They also pair nicely with aged teas and traditional benito dishes such as, risotto and savory, smoky, dried horse meat. Well, I hope you enjoyed learning about the most and robo families and that you have the opportunity to go experiment with these wines for yourself. It's so interesting to see how, grapes from the same family can can express themselves in in different and unique ways. So enjoy. Thanks for listening. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Emilia FM, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. Until next time, Teaching.