The Muscat grape has been grown and cultivated for centuries all over Europe, and in more recent years has become something of a flagship varietal for many New World countries. It is widely admired for its versatility and for the fact that it can be successfully used for the production of many different styles and types of wine. In eastern and central Europe, it is most commonly associated with elegant sweet dessert wines, further west it is used for bright and strong dry white wines, and it is also famous for the superb sparkling wines it produces, full of elegant bubbles and a mineral-rich flavor which compliments its natural 'grapey' character. Muscat grapes are generally agreed to be one of the oldest varietals in the world, and this goes some way to explaining the seemingly vast differences the fruit shows in various parts of the world.
California has long been the New World's most important and prodigious wine producing regions, with a history which stretches back to the 18th century and the Spanish pioneers who settled here. Today, California produces vast quantities of wine, and if it were a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine on earth. Despite experiencing many problems in the mid 20th century, including a very serious blight which almost crippled the state's wine industry, the ideal terroir and excellent climate ensured that Californian wines soon became the envy of the New World once again. California produces a vast range of wines, and utilizes a long list of fine grape varietals, with many wineries and their produce more closely resembling those of France and other Old World countries in regards to character, practices and flavors
Country: United States
The first European settlers to consider growing grapevines in the United States must have been delighted when they discovered the now famous wine regions within California, Oregon and elsewhere. Not even in the Old World are there such fertile valleys, made ideal for vine cultivation by the blazing sunshine, long, hot summers and oceanic breezes. As such, it comes as little surprise that today more than eighty-nine percent of United States wines are grown in the valleys and on the mountainsides of California, where arguably some of the finest produce in the world is found. However, American wine does not begin and end with California, and due to the vast size of the country and the incredible range of terrains and climates found within the United States, there is probably no other country on earth which produces such a massive diversity of wines. From ice wines in the northern states, to sparkling wines, aromatized wines, fortified wines, reds, whites, rosÃ©s and more, the United States has endless surprises in store for lovers of New World wines.
Appellation: Monterey County
On the hot and sunny Californian coast, we find the relatively small and discreet wine region of Monterey County. This wine region has become renowned in recent decades not just for the high quality and flavorful characteristics of its red and white wines, but also for the enthusiasm wine-makers in the region have for experimentation and innovation in viticulture. Indeed, wineries in Monterey County are famous for their cloning and cross-breeding techniques, resulting in an impressive array of successful Italian and French grape varietals made perfectly suited for the local terroir and climate. There are also plenty of organic, biodynamic and sustainable wineries in Monterey County, making it an interesting and unique location for quality New World wines of great distinction, flavor and overall character.