We recently had a person from Peru and Europe tasting wines, one of which was a Carlos (muscadine) wine. She was very excited when she tasted the Carlos wine and said that it smelled and tasted like wine which is popular in Peru (from a grape we call "Isabella" in the US) and also like the Moscato wine she had had in Italy (from the Moscato grape.) Is there a genetic relationship between these three grape varieties?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Grape varieties are intriguing from many points of view, and researchers continue to reveal genetic origins which are often very surprising (Cabernet Sauvignon is the offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc, for example). Quite often, the same variety is grown in different regions under entirely different names. I am personally unaware of a relationship between Muscat (Moscato) and Muscadine, or Muscadinia, which some suggest should be considered a separate genera and not a Vitis member. Muscadine wines tend to have a very distinctive aroma unlike the perfumed, grapey one of the various Muscat varieties. Isabella is an American hybrid (cross of vinifera and labrusca). Its aroma is is often termed "foxy," a descriptor used for many wines produced from labrusca grapes. Since I did not taste the Carlos wine with you, I can't say how I would personally describe it.
