Grape variety and grafted vine plant Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria): all the secrets

Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria)

Variety native to Egypt and later transplanted to the Mediterranean Basin by the Romans. Spread in France, Australia, Portugal (Muscatel de Setúbal), Spain, southern Italy (Zibibbo, Moscato di Pantelleria), northern Africa and other Mediterranean countries. Used by the Arabs as table grape or dried grape (in North African vernaculars Zibibb means dried grape). Suitable for production of distilled wines, such as Pisco, produced in Chile and Peru.

CULTIVATED AREA IN SPAIN

YEAR	1990	1999	2009
HECTARES	15.193	10.772	9.977

CULTIVATED AREA IN FRANCE

YEAR	1958	1969	1979	1988	1998	2006
HECTARES	2.142	3.170	3.127	3.162	2.981	2.923

CULTIVATED AREA IN PORTUGAL

YEAR	2000	2011
HECTARES	700	503

Budburst period: medium-late.
Ripening period: medium-late (3rd epoch), about 150 days after germination.
Yield: regular, but not very abundant.

Ampelographic characters:

the bud has a greenish-whitish, hairy apex. The medium-sized three-lobed leaf has an often closed V-shaped petiolar sinus. The lower side is hairless or slightly hairy. The cluster is large (270-350 grams) and conical-pyramidal in shape. The medium, ovoid, yellow-greenish berry, has a crunchy pulp with a muscat taste and a thick skin, which ensures excellent resistance to transport.

Cultural aptitude:

vine of high vigour and upright growth habit. It requires a good GDG integral, both for the ripening of the clusters and of the wood. It has an excellent resistance to droughts, though less resistant to warm winds. It has good durability both on the plant and in storage.

Training system and pruning:

it prefers covered training systems and not excessively long pruning.

Susceptibility to diseases and adverse conditions:

susceptible to downy mildew, highly susceptible to powdery mildew, resistant to botrytis.

Enological potential:

it produces straw-yellow wines with golden reflections and an intense muscat bouquet. Suitable especially for production of raisin wines, particularly in appropriate climatic situations. Suitable also for production of dry and sparkling wines. Due to its intense muscat taste, it is used in the production of grapes for fresh consumption, especially in North Africa and, to a lesser extent, in other countries.