NEWS: New Hampshire winery releases a varietal Valvin Muscat

This is exciting news for those of us following the new-generation New York (and Minnesota) hybrids:

Jewell Towne Vineyards, New Hampshire’s oldest winery, is proud to announce the release of a 100-percent varietal Valvin Muscat, the first known production of this wine in the northern New England region.

Valvin Muscat is a newly developed muscat hybrid developed by Bruce Reisch at Cornell University, and was given its moniker in July 2006. Valvin Muscat is a mid-to late-season white wine grape with a distinctive muscat flavor and aroma. It is highly aromatic, and more resistant to disease and cold than traditional muscat varieties. Valvin Muscat resulted from a cross between Muscat du Moulin and Muscat Ottonel back in 1962.

Link to the full article

[Robin Garr]

This is exciting news for those of us following the new-generation New York (and Minnesota) hybrids:

That appears to be a vinifera cross, not a hybrid, Paul. Or is Muscat du Moulin itself a French-American hybrid?

My understanding is that Muscat du Moulin is a Couderc hybrid; it has the alternate designation "Couderc 299-35".

Of course, a pedigree chart would make some interesting reading to see the exact lineage.

That appears to be a vinifera cross, not a hybrid, Paul. Or is Muscat du Moulin itself a French-American hybrid?

Yes Robin - Muscat du Moulin is a French-American hybrid. Here's a link (click on the Valvin Muscat link in the article):
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/reisch/.
Paul - the lineage is listed.

Here we have it, from the Ohio Grape-Wine Electronic Newsletter:

'Valvin Muscat'™ (Formerly NY62.0122.01) is a mid-season white wine grape with a distinctive muscat flavor and aroma that is desirable for blending as well as for varietal wines. The complex interspecific hybrid grape resulted from a cross made in 1962 between Couderc 299-35 (an interspecific hybrid known as 'Muscat du Moulin') and 'Muscat Ottonel'. "Valvin Muscat'™ is recommended for the production of high quality muscat wines," said Reisch. "Vines are well suited to good grape growing sites in the Eastern United States, and should only be grown on suitable rootstocks." Some care should be exercised to control disease, and fruit should be picked when the muscat flavor reaches its peak, he noted.

Link

[Robin Garr]

Here we have it, from the Ohio Grape-Wine Electronic Newsletter:

Ah, thanks, Paul! It looked like an all-vinifera offspring. As potent a force as even a small amount of Muscat can be, I'll bet it's a very "non-hybridy" Muscat. (We had a nice off-dry Vignoles from Huber Orchard & Winery in Indiana the other night at a good restaurant near the winery - went great with a rich lobster bisque. )

picked correctly and vinified cleanly this variety can be very very good indeed. i've had several from purdue and from a winery here in MI that has some (but not enough to bottle). it can be made completly dry as well. no hybrid flavor if done correctly.

David, I assume that by "correctly" you mean to say by using the same quality-minded approach used to make decent vinifera wines: keeping the crop level within reason and doing a cool fermentation. In my experience, this approach generally works well with cool-climate wines no matter what the grape in question may be. It sure works with labruscas too!

When I saw "Jewell Towne Vineyards", I remembered corresponding with the owner some time ago about a Steuben he made. What do you know, I just checked the site and, for once, my memory was correct. They have a 2.5 RS Steuben. Now here is the real memory test: I think he also said you'd have to go to New Hampshire to get it. Anyway, it's very encouraging to me to see these new wines coming out as well as older ones being revived; e.g., Vergennes and Iona by Arbor Hill.

Thanks guys.

Further to Howie's link, here is the actual write-up on Valvin Muscat.

Dan, I totally agree with you on the reviving of heritage grapes like the Vergennes. I'd even place Diamond in that category. Based on what I taste every year at NiagaraCOOL, Diamond is a variety that should be grown much more extensively for dry white wine than it is. I find it much more interesting than Seyval Blanc frankly.