WTN: 2010 H. Lun Goldmuskateller

We recently spent 2 weeks in Alto Adige/Südtirol (everything is in both Italian and German, adding to the fun of trying to decipher road signs at 80 MPH or so). We wanted to sample the white wine and it turned out to be a real treat. This is Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc country - but not Riesling. Many of the wineries are cooperativess (called kellerei). The standard winery tour is with a group of 15 or more, and the season didn’t begin until after Easter. So we wound up heading for supermarkets having a good selection of half-bottles. Any treasures found there could be followed up by a visit to the winery.

Goldmuskateller, also known as Moscato Giallo, is fairly common in this part of Italy. The 2010 from H. Lun, once the oldest privately owned winery in the region, was the best of those we tasted. True to the name, it is golden in color with a little spiciness cutting through big mouth feel. The taste is a combination of honey and fresh peaches, with characteristic sweetness tamped down by good acidity. We soon found ourselves looking for this one wherever we stopped. The price was around $9 – $10.

Hi Dan -

Thank you for the interesting note. Haven't tried too much Goldmuskateller so far, but this sounds like a very pleasant wine.

I have to say, I'm a bit confused with the Muscat family. Is this the same as the Austrian Gelber Muskateller? I have had a few of those Austrians and they have seemed very interesting wines, dry but perfumed, often very mineral, and can age well in the mid term.

Both are a yellow-skinned version of Muscat. (One of the first grapes cultivated by man and with almost 200 different “named” versions, definitely one “family” of grape that will confuse almost everyone). One thing I did find quite interesting while visiting the Brooklyn Terminal Markets was that the “older” Italian home winemakers always referred to the “inferior” versions of Muscat (Moscato) as Muscatel or Muskatelier.

Salute

I have to say, I'm a bit confused with the Muscat family. Is this the same as the Austrian Gelber Muskateller?

Coincidentally, we tried Goldmuskateller in the first place because the name was so reminiscent of the light, fruity Gelber Muskateller we had discovered in Styria, a mere 300 mile high-arcing stone's throw to the east across the Alps. Yet none of the Goldmuskatellers we tasted was what you would call light. The various authorities say that Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is the primary parent of both, but Goldmuskateller (Moscato Giallo) is said to have an unknown secondary parent as well.

Victor, I wonder if that Muscatel or Muskatelier was actually Muscat of Alexandria. It is known to make the poorest wine of the 4 principal varieties of Muscat.