Muscat is a fortified dessert wine from Spain made from white muscat grapes. It has a characteristic aroma and contains 13 to 16 percent alcohol.
History
The drink has ancient origins in Greece and Rome. For centuries, islands in Greece and Italy, as well as southeastern France, specialized in 'passito' techniques. In the 19th century, Portugal began producing amber, fortified Muscat with a muscat orange aroma. In the 19th century, English Victorians preferred South African dessert Muscat wines. In 1828, production of fortified Muscat began in Crimea. In the Soviet Union, the Massandra association produced famous dessert Muscat wines with a strong aroma of dried fruits.
Types and styles
The wine is typically sweet. It contains 20 to 30 percent sugar. The grapes are harvested when they have 25 to 40 percent sugar. The drink is often referred to as a 'golden' dessert wine.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Мускат (десертное вино), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.