There is no doubt that some of you that are by now a little over-chardonnayed. Oaked or unoaked, a certain tiredness sets into the palate. You could argue that the effect must be psychological rather than physiological, since the Chardonnay grape produces wines as diverse as Corton Charlemagne and Chablis. None the less, even the act of asking a wine waiter for the Chardonnay, New World or otherwise, eventually palls. You find yourself wondering 'is there any other white wine that I can order?'

The obvious response to palate fatigue is to order a Sauvignon Blanc, but it's possible that like me, that's a transition you already made a while back. You could try a Semillon, they're out there in increasing numbers. Or you could try something very different, like a Muscat. The Muscat grape is unusual in one respect - it's a grape that tends to give its particular flavour to its wine no matter where it's planted. To put it another way, it's a vine that doesn't reflect its terroir. You can find it on labels as Muscat, Muscatel, Moscatel or Moscato, but it's the same grape. Don't be confused here with Muscadet, which is a bone dry wine from France's Loire valley.

It has an aromatic quality that most commonly is put to good effect in sweet dessert wines, but the range of wine types produced by the Muscat grape is large, from the very sweet to very dry. But whatever the style, the essentially floral, almost orangey, flavour of the grape will always be present in the wine. You may have come across the grape without knowing it if you've ever tasted Asti Spumante, the slightly sweet sparkling wine from northern Italy. Because of its distinctive flavour, of all the grape varieties, it's the easiest one to spot in blind tastings.

Around the world the Muscat grape turns up in variety of guises. In Italy it makes spumante, in Spain it's one of only three permitted grapes for sherry, in Greece they distil a Muscat wine to make their Metaxa brandy, in Peru they distil Muscat wine to make their national brandy, Pisco, and in Chile and Australia it's widely planted for blending with other whites. Using the Muscat grape as part of cepage is fairly common, since even in small proportions it can add body and aroma to what might otherwise be flat and uninteresting wines.

Wine of the Week

Muscat Parellada, 2001, Jean Leon

This is part of the Terrasola range of wines from Jean Leon, a scion of the Torres empire. It's Catalan heritage is on the label, from its origin in 'Catalunya', to its vintage 'cupatge', and indeed the name 'Terrasola', which means a small terrace. The wine has a fairly high alcohol content at 13%, but it's very well balanced with the fruit and the acidity. The floral notes are very evident on the nose, but the wine leaves a clean, crisp aftertaste. As the days lengthen and outdoor dining or picnics become possible, this is a wine to put into your hamper for those sunny outdoor moments.

Available in Mitchell's, Bradley's Cork, The Vineyard Galway and Hogan's Rathfarnam. RRP €13.99