Photo by VIVC - Vitis International Variety Catalogue
Description
Muscat Hamburg (Muscat de Hambourg, Moscato d'Amburgo) is a classic black dessert grape with a pronounced muscat aroma. DNA markers show it is a cross of Schiava Grossa (also known as Black Hamburg) with Muscat of Alexandria; the international catalogue credits the cross to Seward Snow in England. Its medium to large berries keep well, and besides fresh eating it is used for wine and juice.
Characteristics
Black table grape with strong muscat flavour; medium to large berries; moderate to strong vigour; mid-season, about two and a half weeks after Chasselas; good keeping quality; also used for wine, sparkling wine and juice
Growing Tips
The RHS lists Muscat Hamburg among the early black dessert grapes for an unheated greenhouse in Britain; under glass, help pollination at flowering and train the vine as a rod with spurs. Outdoors it needs a warm site and moderately fertile soil. French trials found it sensitive to powdery and downy mildew and phomopsis, but rarely troubled by grey rot.