The Italy Muscat grape is a dessert variety of late ripening, bred in Italy in 1911 by Alberto Pirovano. The vegetation period lasts 150-160 days, with berry ripeness occurring in September. The bushes are vigorous, with one-year-old canes that mature up to 80% of their length and require long pruning. The clusters are cylindrical-conical in shape, large, weighing about 600-700 grams, often branched and relatively loose, 18-21 cm long and 12-14 cm wide. The berries are oval or egg-shaped, yellowish-amber in color with a matte surface, covered with a thick pruina, large — 26-30 mm long and 18-20 mm wide, weighing 5-6 grams, with 2-4 large seeds. The skin is thick and tough, which ensures good storability and transportability of the fruits.
The flesh of the berries is fleshy, juicy and dense, possessing high taste qualities and an original muscat-citrus aroma. Sugar content reaches about 19%, acidity is weak, which makes the grape especially pleasant to taste. Thanks to its characteristics, the variety is suitable not only for fresh consumption but also for producing delicious alcoholic beverages. The yield of the variety is high, which makes it attractive for cultivation in warm climatic zones.
Italy Muscat has medium resistance to diseases such as mildew and oidium, but frost resistance is weak. The plant requires reliable winter cover, especially in regions with cold winters. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the warmest and most heat-rich areas, where minimum temperatures do not drop below -18 °C. Thanks to the thick skin and good storability, the grape withstands transport well, which expands the possibilities of its commercial use.
