Five years ago, I wrote this article on Muscadine, a very important grape originating in the Southeastern United States. I still haven’t gotten to try this grape, not in wine, jam or juice form. But I continue to be interested in it because of its geographic uniqueness, also known as its terroir, and its purported health benefits.
Muscadine vs. Muscat
Most of us are familiar with wines made from the Muscat grape, and many of us love these easy-drinking floral, musky wines. Some of us are very happy to see Muscat starting to replace White Zinfandel as the effortless go-to wine. The big question: Is Muscadine related to Muscat?
Let’s start with an interesting bit of information about Muscat. Did you know that Muscat is one of the oldest wine grapes in the world and it’s thought that most modern wine grapes have an ancestral relationship with the Muscat grape? Based on this information, I would assume that wine grapes whose names sound like Muscat must be related to Muscat. Moscato, for example, is Italian Muscat, and Moscatel is Spanish Muscat.
So I was very surprised to find out that Muscadine has no relation whatsoever to Muscat. Its only connection is a similar name that came about as a result of Muscadine’s Muscat-like characteristics.
Description
I did a little more research on the grape, and I came upon Southern Living’s great description: “Muscadines are grapes, which are valued for fruit, wine, shade, and fall color; they’re among the few ornamental vines with bold, textured foliage; colorful edible fruit; and a dominant trunk and branch pattern for winter interest. A single grapevine can produce enough new growth every year to arch over a walk, roof an arbor, form a leafy wall, or provide an umbrella of shade over deck or terrace.”
History
Muscadine grapes were discovered in the late 1500s. They are thick skinned and large and have a strong, musky flavor. Unlike most grapes, they don’t grow in tight bunches. Instead, they grow in clusters of four or more fruits. They range in color from deep purple to bronze. The bronze colored ones are called Scuppernong grapes.
Through the years, many nicknames have arisen for these grapes, including bullis, southern grapes, swamp grapes and American wild grapes.
Health Benefits
The Muscadine grape has become a subject of interest lately due to its reported health benefits. It turns out that the Muscadine grape has a higher chromosome count than other wine grapes. Normal grapes have 19 pairs of chromosomes, while Muscadine grapes have 20 chromosomes. It is believed that this extra set of chromosomes enables Muscadine grapes to produce healthful phytochemicals that are not found in other grapes.
A number of supplement producers are pushing Muscadine supplements for all of the purported health benefits. Here is what one of the supplement websites states as the healthful benefits of their Muscadine supplements:
- Six times the resveratrol content of regular red grapes
- The only grape to contain the very healthy ellagic acid
- More dietary fiber than rice or oat bran
- High quercetin levels, a very healthy flavonoid
- Forty times higher antioxidants levels compared to standard red grapes
Given the health buzz, many commercial growers now make more money selling the seeds to pharmaceutical companies than they make on other juice or wine products.
Now for the warning: Studies differ widely on how much of these healthful benefits are present. No conclusive studies on humans or mammals have been completed.
Enjoying Muscadine Just Because…
Certainly, enjoying Muscadine wines, berries, jams and jellies is a treat, and likely has some redeeming health value. But as I noted in my article entitled “Wine for Wine’s Sake or for Health’s Sake?”, while I get a bit of a rush every time I hear of a new wine health benefit, I’m doing my best to stay level headed about all the news. I remind myself that my primary reason for drinking wine is enjoyment. If there are some health benefits that come along for the ride, that’s all the better. But the wine itself is reward enough.
Whatever your taste in wine, I encourage trying new wines regularly. If you are in the South, make sure to try Muscadine. If you’ve tried Muscadine already, I would love to hear about your experience.
If you love trying new wines and would like to explore becoming a wine consultant, please check out my Wine Business page. Being a wine consultant is just about the most fun you can have earning money!
As an independent wine consultant with WineShop At Home, I absolutely enjoy bringing a taste of the Napa wine country home to you one sip at a time. Whether you simply love to drink wine, seek a special personalized wine gift, or are in search of a new wine jobs opportunity as a wine consultant, feel free to contact me for a truly unique wine tasting experience!
Cheers,
Betty Kaufman, WineShop At Home
11 comments
And just to add to the confusion, don’t forget Muscadet, which has nothing whatsoever (origin, taste or otherwise) with Muscat grapes or wine (or Muscadine, which I knew nothing about – Thanks, Betty). Instead, it is made in the western-most end of the Loire valley (near the Atlantic ocean) and is the only wine currently made from the Melon de Burgogne grape – which originated in Burgundy (hence, the name) but isn’t grown there anymore.
Muscadet is a light, dry white, which goes very well with shellfish. Sometimes described as having a “salty” note (but, of course, no actual salt in it). Some people think it is the single best match with oysters. And it is quite inexpensive.
Wow. I didn’t know the juicy details about Muscadet. Thanks, Rob!
Just a note to the person who posted this information I never had scopernogn/muscadine wine however I’ve had fresh scopernogns&muscadines+scopernogn/muscadine preserves&scopernon/muscadine Syrup!
I’d love to taste the preserves and syrup. I’m assuming they’re very good.
My grandmother had a very large vine on the fence of her garden. She called them aluminum and of muscidine. She used them for making jelly predominantly. A very good jelly! If you can get some try it!!
I’ve heard that that jam is incredible.
I’m from Arkansas and I grew up with muscadines. We had some growing wild on our property when I was a child. I would brave briars, etc., just to eat some. Crazy good. I grew up with the white (or green) colored ones. Never had the purple (or black) ones until I was an adult. I like the white ones more, which surprised me, cause I like red grapes better than white grapes.
I had the wine, not long after I turned 21. I was disappointed that the sweetness was gone, but it smelled like muscadines, so I drank it every year. It was seasonal back then.
About 10 years after that I had some jelly a friend made, extremely good. The following year she accidentally made some that was a mix of white and red ones. It was the best jelly I’ve ever eaten (all flavors). Unfortunately she was never able to replicate it.
A few years ago, I found a bottle of muscadine juice. I absolutely loved it. It was made by a local wine company and is better than the wine. My favorite juice ever! I haven’t been back to the place that sold it, so about half way through the bottle I mixed it with chilled club soda, just like I do with grape juice. It was good, even when diluted.
Something that has made me sad for years is that you don’t see much muscadine growing here anymore. I don’t think people realize what it is and get rid of it, like a weed. I hope people appreciate it more now that it’s “healthy”.
Muscadine grapes are predominately grown in the south eastern region of the United States. They are a different species of grapes known as Vitis rotundifolia.
Very fun to find this! My dad raised Muscadines and Scuppernongs at home in North Louisiana and made the most delicious wine, syrup, and jam. He called the jam “Muscadine hull preserves” since much of the flesh had been used for wine or syrup. Best jam ever!
Muscadine grapes are predominately grown in the south eastern region of the United States. They are a different species of grapes known as Vitis rotundifolia.
Muscadine grapes are predominately grown in the south eastern region of the United States. They are a different species of grapes known as Vitis rotundifolia.