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Moscatello of Saracena is a vine variety and a typical and exclusive cultivation of the municipality of Saracena, in the province of Cosenza. The wine produced is the result of a really ancient manufacturing process, in which moscatello grapes, which are obtained by the native vine, are separated from malmsey and Guarnaccia and transformed into wine. The percentages of the various types of grapes can change considerably, but generally speaking malmsey and Guarnaccia are prevalent and to them it is added a small quantity of “adduraca” (word of the local dialect which means scented), a perfumed and aromatic vine variety. Moscatello grapes, when cropped at the right stage of maturation, it is hanged on shadowed trellises for 15-20 days, in order to concentrate sugars and scents through a drying process. Then the dried grapes undergo a manual and careful selection (normally this is a feminine work), after that they are subjected to a delicate pressing. After grape harvest malmsey and Guarnaccia are pressed and the obtained must is boiled to reduce it to a third of the total: this process determines the increasing os sugars and consequently of the alcohol content. The two musts are then assembled and start a natural fermentation process in wood barrels or in iron basins.
The first evidence of the presence of this wine dates back to the 16^th century, when Moscato of Saracena was sold to the papal court. Baron Mazziotti has distributed it in more recent times till the middle fifties when he was obliged to retire for age limit problems.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)