Moscato wine is one of the
oldest varieties known. The wine had its origin in Egypt and the Middle East.
The grape used is muscat grape, and it comes in colors like red, white, pink,
golden, etc. Moscato wine is mostly white, but we also have red and pink types.
The wine is well-known for its lower alcohol content and fruity flavors such as
peaches and orange blossoms.
The muscat grape variety
survives well in the warm climate and grows in many countries such as Italy,
France, Spain, Australia, and South Africa. Italy produces the maximum quantity
of Moscato wine, and the variety used most is Moscato Bianco. Muscat Ottonel,
Muscat Hamburg, Muscat of Alexandria, and Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains are other
popular grape types.
Making Moscato wine:
The first step is to harvest the
grape at the right stage and extract it as soon as possible. In the Moscato wine, it is the freshness of grapes that gives a fruity
aroma. So, winemakers take quantities of the grape juice needed for winemaking
and store the rest under cold conditions at 15-degree celsius. Vinification
happens in large cellar tanks that do not let carbon dioxide out. Once the
mixture reaches the desired alcohol content (5-10% depending on the brand), it
is chilled and bottled immediately. The acidity and sweetness depend upon the
wine variety. Given below are some of the most popular Moscato wines.
1. Moscato
d’Asti:
It is the most familiar type. It
is a white, semi-sparkling wine with a sweet aroma, zippy acidity, and a dry
mineral finish. As the name suggests, it is an Italian product from the
Piedmont region and made from muscat blanc grapes. It is known as frizzante in
Italy. It is less alcoholic and a perfect choice for guzzling at parties. The
other must-have Italian Moscato wine is Asti Spumante. It is a fully sparkling
wine with 3-5 percent residual sugar and made by the Charmat method.
Both Moscato d’Asti and Spumante
go well with plain cakes, fruit tarts, dry fruits, and Tuscan biscuits. You can
also pair them with meat like salami and seafood like mollusks and oysters.
2. Moscatel
and Muskateller:
If you are fond of
non-carbonated, still wine, you go for the Muscat wines from Spain, Germany,
and Austria. These are dry, and their alcohol level could reach up to 12
percent. You could enjoy them sip by sip as they are very dry yet have sweet
aromatic flavors of orange blossom, pear, and honeysuckle.
Non-sparkling wines like
Moscatel go well with spicy cuisines, dark chocolates, and cheese varieties.
3. Moscato
dessert wines:
For people who are new to
drinking, Moscato wines are the best option. But the mature wine-lovers have
Moscato as a dessert wine. French wines such as Muscat de Rivesaltes and
Australian Rutherglen Muscat are some of the sweetest wines. To increase the
sweetness, they are oak-aged or dried partially.
You can have these Moscato wines
with cheesecakes, fruit pies, and even pour them on icecreams.
4. Pink
Moscato:
The Muscat grape has around 200
varieties. One of them is Moscato Rosa, which is pink in color and is common in
northern Italy. But the winemakers add red grapes like merlot for producing the
pink Moscato wines like Brachetto
d’Acqui, Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato, Liberty Creek Pink Moscato, etc. As
there are various methods of obtaining the pink Moscato, this wine comes in
different flavors, like, strawberry, vanilla, and caramel.
Pink Moscato wine is sweet and
light. It is a wise choice to have it with sandwiches, cheese, and in
cocktails. You can use them in the lunch menu with foods like crabs, prawns,
cured meat, Chinese, etc.
5. Red/Black
Moscato:
It is produced from black/orange
muscat grapes. These are fragrant and sweet with bold flavors of raspberry,
wild cherries, and peaches. It could have citrus and creamy finish based on the
brands.
It goes well with spicy dishes
and cheeses. So, you could have red Moscato with pizzas, roasted peppers, and
meatballs, and desserts.
Moscato Food Pairings Tips:
●
Moscato wines are
best as dessert wines. They accentuate the sweetness of dishes like apple
desserts, cashew tarts, fruit-based desserts, cookies, etc. You can pair them
with appetizers, main course, and make cocktails too.
●
Sweet Moscato can
balance spicy and salty dishes. Therefore, they are great accompaniments to
Thai, Indian, and Chinese cuisine. It also goes well with raw vegetables like
carrots, celery, bell peppers, and green onions.
●
You should avoid serving
Moscato wine with dishes that have a bitter taste. Therefore do not pair these
wines with coffee-based desserts like tiramisu, chocolate desserts,
and food items with citrus and acidic marinades.
Final Thoughts:
Moscato or the muscat wine is so
popular that wine-lovers celebrate World Moscato day on May 9th every year. You
can also use the muscat grape variety as a table grape or for making raisins.
Though grown in different countries, Italy is the largest producer of Moscato wines. Its low alcohol content and sweet toast are appealing to beginners. Therefore, if you want to drink heartily and do not want to feel drunk, Moscato is the right choice.
