Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the 2001 study by Crespan and Milani, the two
share a parent-offspring relationship. That
study also identifi ed Moscato Nero with Ale-
atico, another variety, but this is wrong: genetic
profi ling in that same study demonstrated that
two Moscato Nero samples, obtained from two
different ampelographic collections, were not
the same variety. In 2009, Scalabrelli,
D'Onofrio, Ferroni, and Vignai showed that
Aleatico has a different molecular profi le from
Tuscan accessions of a Moscato Nero variety (or
varieties). Last but not least, Moscato Nero di
Acqui is not synonymous with Moscato
d'Amburgo (Muscat of Hamburg), which in
Italy is considered a table grape and is listed as
such in the National Registry, at number 517.
Moscato Nero di Acqui is a lightly aromatic
red variety (much less aromatic than Moscato
di Scanzo, another red-berried
Moscato
) grown
in Piedmont and described in detail by Di Ste-
fano and Corino in 1984. It takes its name from
Acqui, the town at the center of its production
zone, but it is also sporadically found in the
provinces of Asti and Alessandria. Though the
grape is rare, incorrect synonyms abound: in
Liguria it might be called Malvasia Nera, while
in Piedmont it's occasionally called Aleatico or
simply Moscato Nero (which creates confusion
with Moscato di Scanzo, also improperly called
Moscato Nero). Furthermore, the National Reg-
istry neither lists any synonyms of Moscato
Nero di Acqui, nor lists it as a synonym of
Moscato d'Amburgo. In 2006, Raimondi,
Valota, and Schneider also reported failing to
see any similarities between the two.
Historically, Moscato Nero di Acqui was
always confused by farmers with Brachetto,
another red-berried aromatic variety typical of
the same Piedmontese area: generally speak-
ing, many who believed they were growing Bra-
chetto actually owned vines of Moscato Nero di
Acqui. My belief is that, though undoubtedly
rare, there is currently more Moscato Nero di
Acqui planted in the vineyards than is com-
monly believed. In my experience, even those
producers who were aware they were growing
two different varieties usually just blended
them together, since Moscato Nero di Acqui
added much-needed tannic backbone to wines
made with Brachetto. In fairness, and for accu-
racy's sake, not everyone did so. Carlo Daglio, of
the Daglio estate, recalls that his family has
been growing this variety at least since the
1800s, but that they never blended it in Bra-
chetto wines, since they liked Moscato Nero di
Acqui's specifi c aromatics. Over the years,
other producers have told me the variety was
also used to improve wines made with Malvasia
di Casorzo.
It's characterized by medium-small, cylin-
drical-conical, and loosely packed bunches with
one long wing and medium-large berries that
have very little bloom, thereby appearing par-
ticularly shiny. This latter feature makes the
variety extremely easy to recognize in my opin-
ion, since it differentiates it completely from
other dark-berried
Moscato
s and
Moscato
-like
varieties such as Moscato di Scanzo or Bra-
chetto. It's a vigorous variety that ripens rela-
tively early (usually in the fi rst half of Septem-
ber) but not a particularly generous producer
due to its small bunch size; it is resistant to
most common grapevine diseases. There are no
offi cially certifi ed clones available.
There are many reasons why Moscato Nero
di Acqui fell out of favor with farmers and wine
producers: since it's a poor to moderate pro-
ducer, does not accumulate large amounts of
sugar, and its typical
Moscato
aroma tends to
degrade rapidly once the berries are ripe. On
the positive side, Daglio believes it to be a hardy
variety that adapts well to different soils. As it is
an excellent table grape, it is also grown by local
farmers with that purpose in mind.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
A good moscato nero is pinkish-red in hue,
light and refreshing, and very delicately aro-
matic, with aromas of roses and geraniums (the
grape has high concentrations of nerol, a mole-
cule that smells strongly of roses), and of small
red and black berries. Its aromas are gentler
and lack the penetrating, intense quality of
wines made with Moscato di Scanzo. It's how-
