Ep. 372 Sangiovese Lambrusco... | Moscato and Malvasia

Welcome to the book series by the Italian wine podcast. My name is Joy Livingston and for the next several weeks I will be bringing you some choice narrated content from the book. Sandra Vasco and other vine stories written by Mr. Science himself, Professor Atilio Shenza, and Serena Imazio, published by positive press dot net. To get a copy of the book, the kindle version is available on Amazon, and hardcover copies are available from positive press dot net. If you like the content we share each week, consider donating to our show. Find details at Italian wine podcast dot com or on our social media channels. Sit back and get your geek on as we jump into the details, stories, and science on Italian wines, and vines. Moscato and Malvasia, a journey through time and place. During the opulent banquet, of the great empires and rich Central European courts, sweet and aromatic wines shone on the tables full of color and perfume, dense and sugary. They evoke the splendor and pleasure of distant lands. Mocato and Malvasia came from countries overlooking the Mediterranean, Cyprus Creek, Greece, Greece, and Italy, where the sun flooded the vineyards. The wine crossed Europe by sea and land. Until it reached the sumptuous homes of kings, aristocrats, and high prolates. Most scholars agree that Moscato has been known and appreciated since ancient times. Already of the Greeks knew them as Anna Felicon Moscaton. In the Odyssey, Homer describes a honey flavored wine. The Romans called these aromatic varieties, because they were so sweet that they attracted bees, apis. There are numerous varieties that fall under the common denomination of Moscato or Malvasia. Today, cultivated all over the world. The name Moscato in several languages distinguishes more than two hundred varieties of wine and table grapes with both white and black berries united by the Moscato flavor. Marvasia, on the other hand, according to Giuseppe de rovazenda eighteen seventy seven, a Piamonteza Amplologopher should produce grapes with a special, slightly bitter, muscato flavor. As we will see in detail, this is not always the case. In fact, the Maravazia are very heterogeneous varieties in appearance, in productivity, and with regard to the ripeness of the grapes. As well as in their aromatic characteristics. Due to these striking differences, the history of Moscow and Marvaziya has always been a curious enigma for those involved in Viticulture. The first clue to understanding where these varieties originated could come from an etymological analysis. Let's start our exploration with the Moscato Bine. Moscato, many names, one story. Golden sugar rich berries that when they become too ripe, their skin begins to give way. Releasing an irresistible nectar for insects. For a long time, it was a common opinion and in part it still is today that the name Moscato fly in English comes from precisely this characteristic. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Already he see it in the poem works in days speaks of a vine from anatolia and Asia minor. Whose berries tasted of musk, a rare and expensive scent secreted by deer glands. The etymology is the same of musky ox muskrat, but also nutmeg. White musk perfume muscato simply means odorous or perfumed. The origin of the name is now traced back to Sanskrit musca and Persian Musk, which generally expresses an aromatic feeling. This clue, which ennobles the semantic origin of the vines and the wines that derive from them, limits their origin to the corresponding linguistic territories, namely the middle eastern areas between Syria and Persia. Present day, Iran, to the south, closed to the north by the Caucasus and bordered laterally by the Black Sea and the Caspian C. A perfectly fitting name for these grape varieties, which share such an intense aroma. They are in fact characterized by the production of molecules, terpenes that give the fruit this characteristic aroma that evolves in the wine. In Viticulture, a first classification can be made between aromatic and non aromatic finds precisely on the basis of the plant's ability to synthesize terpene molecules in the skin of the berry. Therefore, all varieties that have active and productive genetic gear for the synthesis of these compounds are defined as aromatic. And the non aromatic ones are all those in which this part of the metabolism remains dormant. The Moscato family occupies a prominent position in the aromatic varieties with the founder being, as we will soon see, the Moscato Bianco. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that although all Moscato grapes are distinguished by their aromatics, there are various varieties such as Aleatico or Braceto daqui that are just as aromatic, but are not called Moscato. After the famous descendants of Pino and Gueh identified in nineteen ninety nine of which we will discuss later. The Muscato varieties were the second group to be recognized as members of a real family through DNA analysis and the reconstruction of their family relationships. Research was conducted in two thousand and one in the laboratories of the institutos Perimentale perla Viticoura in Coneliano by Anna Krespan and Nikoletta Milani. At that time, the two researchers were working in a very artisanal way. Without having access to instruments that have now become commonplace. Armed with a ruler, Mana Krespan compared the genetic profiles of Moscato. And at a certain point, she realized that the results of the analysis converged towards a parent offspring relationship with either Muscato Pianco or the Zhibpo. The results of the first research project show that these two grape varieties were the founders of the Moscato family from which most of the other varieties originated through wild crossbreeds, coincidentally occurring in nature, and anthropogenic crossbreeds desired and managed by men. Moscato Bianco has been known for centuries and has a long list of synonyms such as Muscat, Muscat, from France, Galba Muscatella from Austria, Moscatellego Bronco from Portugal, Moscatel de grano Menudo from Spain, Moscato, Espro, from Cyprus, Muscat Francignon from Modova, Muscatale from Malta, Muscat Zuluthi, from Czech Republic, Musca from Montenegro and Romayosa from Romania. It is widely cultivated throughout the world, but most of it is found in Italy. Here, the main synonyms are Moscato Dasty, Moscato di Montalcino, Moscato daqua, Moscato reales, and Moscato di Tempeo. This vine is widespread throughout the Italian Peninsula for the production of aromatic wines. The white grape variety is the most widely grown Moscato in Piamonte, and each year Moscato Dasty docg alone produces about thirty million bottles. Zibbo is an ancient variety as well, diffused and appreciated throughout the Mediterranean Basin. It also boasts a healthy list of synonyms It is known, for instance, as Muscato, Dalis, Andrea, referring to the famous Egyptian city. The name Zebbo evokes a North African origin from Cap Zebiba in Tunisia. This could have been the vines point of origin, perhaps imported by the arabs to Sicily. And then from there, it spread to the rest of Italy. An alternative etymology is zebi b, which means raisin in Arabic. Because the scrape is very suitable for drying and good for both the production of Pasito wine and for storage as raisins. In Tuscany, the spine is called Salamana, named after the individual who introduced it from Greece. Sir Alemano Salviati. Thank you for listening to this installment from the book, San Jose, Lambrusco, and other Vine stories. We hope you expanded your horizons and gave your brain cells an Italian wine workout. We'll see you again next Thursday and remember the kindle version of the book is available on Amazon and hardcover copies are available from positive press dot net. If you feel inspired to make a donation to our show, please visit us at italian wine podcast dot com. Find Italian wine podcast on Facebook and Instagram. Our Twitter handle is at ITa Wine podcast.