by Rachel Voorhees
The Popularity of Moscato
To say that Moscato wine consumption has exploded over the last few years is a drastic understatement. Production, consumption and sales have skyrocketed and not just because Kanye West likes to reference Moscato in rap songs. It’s refreshing, delicious and around $10 a bottle.
Moscato is the Italian word for Muscat, an aromatic white grape variety that is widely planted in Italy. However, it is also planted all over the world. The Muscat grape ranges from white to black and always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma. Moscato is the grape variety in both the deliciously sweet, slightly sparkling wine, Moscato d’Asti, and in the fully sparkling Asti Spumante wines. Moscato wines are sweet (between 70 and 120 g/l residual sugar) and low in alcohol, making it a perfect gateway wine and introduction to wine for people. Moscato wines range from 5 to 6% to 10% abv (alcohol by volume).
Not only is Moscato a perfect gateway wine, it is also inexpensive, sweet, fizzy and fun to drink. It is the perfect wine to sip on and pair during brunch (think blueberry pancakes or French toast) and also pairs well with fruity desserts. The refreshing acidity balances the sweetness, making the wine light and refreshing.
BevMo! has a fabulous selection of Moscato wines to try, ranging in sweetness and fizziness. The Cinzano Asti, is from the DOCG region of Asti, at the heart of the Piedmont region in Italy. It is fruity, has zesty sweetness and is light and easy to drink. Cinzano Asti Moscato, with its peach, apricot and honey notes, make it a perfect sparkling wine for brunches and desserts.
The Fratelli Moscato d’Asti ’11 from BevMo! is another Italian Moscato wine from the Piedmont region in Italy. It’s delicate, elegant and pleasing on the palate with peach and white floral notes. The Fratelli is considered a sweet white still wine, although the Italians always love to produce Moscato wines with a little fizz.
BevMo! also carries Moscato wines from California. The Zante Moscato ’11 has zippy and refreshing acidity. It’s an elegant wine with clean fruit flavors such as peach and pear and is also super easy to sip on. The Zante is a delicious dessert wine to finish off any meal with a fruit tart or custard!
The Il Conte d’Alba Stella Rosa is an Italian wine from the Piedmont region of Italy made from the black Muscat grape. It’s a semi sweet red wine and should be served chilled with fruit and cheese. The Stella Rosa wine is served in a lot of Italian restaurants and is a popular wine to ask for in any BevMo! store.
Do you like Moscato wine and if so, do you have a favorite?
