Muscat Petit Grain, also known as Moscato bianco or Muscat blanc à petits grains, is an ancient grape variety of Greek origin, which has been widespread throughout the Mediterranean basin since classical times thanks to its extraordinary adaptability and distinctive aromatic profile. The vine exhibits moderate vigour and early budbreak; the mature leaf is generally of medium size, orbicular or pentagonal in shape, with three or five lobes, a green, slightly blistered upper surface and a faintly tomentose underside. The bunch is small to medium in size, cylindrical-conical, sometimes winged, and ranges from compact to moderately dense. The berries, which are of medium size despite the name, are round or slightly oval, with a yellowish-green skin that turns golden as they ripen, juicy flesh and an intensely musky flavour.
It is grown in numerous Mediterranean regions, from southern France to Italy, where it produces particularly notable wines in Piedmont, Trentino-Alto Adige, Sicily, Sardinia and the Aosta Valley, as well as in various wine-growing areas across Europe and the Southern Hemisphere. The wines are generally straw-yellow in colour, sometimes golden, with distinct aromas of orange blossom, rose, peach, citrus, fresh grapes, aromatic herbs and sweet spices. On the palate, it combines smoothness, lively freshness and varying structure. It is suitable for dry, aromatic, sparkling and sweet wines, including fortified wines, which, in the best cases, are capable of developing over a long period.