Wine grape variety grown in Apulia

Moscato Bianco b.

Moscato Bianco b. is a vine of ancient origin, with international and national distribution, also present in Apulia, more in the Northern area of Bari.

Origin and Historical Outline

Moscato Bianco b. is a wine grape variety of ancient origins, also present in Apulia. Cultivated by the Greeks before and by the Romans after, probably under the names of, respectively, Anathelicon moschaton and Uva Apiana. The name seems to come from muscum, for the strong characteristic aroma of this grape, which the French call musquè. Studies carried out with DNA analysis (Crespan M. and Milani N., 2001) have shown that the Moscato grape varieties are traceable to two varieties, the white Moscato and the Moscato of Alessandria (or Zibibbo), which are linked by direct relationship (procreator-ancestor). Both had offspring with other vines.

Synonyms

Moscatella bianca, Moscatello di Canelli, Moscato, Moscato d’Asti, Moscato dei colli, Moscato di Montalcino, Moscato di Tempio, Moscato reale, Moscato di Trani.

Shoot tip: expanded, pale green with bronze shades along the margins.

Leaf: medium, pentagonal-circular, trilobate or pentalobate. Open lyre-shaped petiole sinus; closed lyre-shaped upper lateral sinuses with overlapping lobes; hardly marked V-shaped lower lat eral sinuses.

Bunch: medium-small, dense or medium-dense, cylindrical or pyramid-shaped, with one or two short wings.

Berry: medium, spherical-obovoid. Not very pru inose, yellow-greenish skin turning golden if exposed to the sun; firm flesh, with a typical Muscat flavour.

Phenology

Time of bud burst: early

Flowering time: early

Veraison: early-intermediate

Ripening: intermediate

Agronomic and Cultural Characteristics

Vigour: good

Average bunch weight: 180 g (min 130 g – max 240 g)

Average berry weight: 1.9 g (min 1.4 g – max 2.6 g)

Number of seeds per berry: 1 4

Average rachis weight: 10 g

Fertility of buds: 1 – 2

Potential fertility: 1.4

Actual fertility: 1.1

Environmental and Cultural Requirements

Medium and consistent production. Prefers a dry and breezy climate, calcareous, permeable, not too clayey and too wet soil. Adapts quite well to summer drought.

Chemical Features of the Wine

Alcoholic content: 11 – 12.5 % by vol.

pH: 3.2 – 3.4

Total acidity: 6 – 7.5 g/l

Oenological Use and Sensorial Properties of the Wine

Grapes used mainly for vinification, but like in the case of other grapes with an aromatic taste, they are sometimes used for fresh consumption, too. This vine yields several wines, depending on the area it is grown; their colour is straw yellow or golden, fragrant taste, sweet and aromatic taste. The wine displays the typical terpene profile of Moscato bianco, with linalool being its main terpene compound (approximately 900μg/l in the free form and approximately 1,000μg/l in glucosidic forms), in a much higher amount than geraniol (in the same order, approximately 100 and approximately 300 μg/l). In northern Italy, it is used for the production of spumante wines, sparkling wines or sweet wines. In southern Italy it is also used to obtain sweet dessert wines.

Economic Significance and Geographic Distribution

It is grown in all regions of Italy. It is suitable for cultivation throughout the regional territory of Apulia, where it is included in the production of QWpsr Moscato di Trani.

Author and Source

Antonacci Donato
antonacci.dona@gmail.com

The data sheet of the Moscato Bianco b., revised and updated, is extracted from: Antonacci Donato (2006). Viti di Puglia, Adda publisher. Its use is granted by the author citing the source.