Why Moscato d’Asti Wines Are Unique And Unusual

Moscato d’Asti

This Is Why Moscato d’Asti Wines Are Unique And Unusual. Moscato d’Asti wines are made from the white moscato grape. Why moscato? Because, it pleases almost everybody. It is fruity, aromatic and sometimes even sweet. Moscato is the easiest to drink of all wines and is low in alcohol. Drink it before a meal as an aperitif, with a meal or even with some desserts. Or you can just drink a bottle by itself doing any activity you choose. This is the wine for beginners, because it tastes great and goes down easy.

Wine Shopping

Now let’s bridge the gap and go shopping. I suggest experimenting at home first. Then, you can go dining like a pro. Go to the store directly to the Italian section and pick a bottle from the Moscato d’Asti wines that’s no older than 2-3 years from present time. Freshness counts with white wines. The Asti is important. It means it was made in Italy in a small town called Asti. You can get a bottle of Barefoot from California for $8, but it’s a big mistake. It’s nothing like the one from Asti. Next read the label front and back to learn.  A decent one will set you back about $15-20 at the store or $30-40 at a restaurant. If you buy the cheap stuff, then you will taste the cheap stuff and go off on a tangent and be lost.

Cupcake and Ruffino

Cupcake wines from California purchased some land or a winery in Asti so theirs is authentic. I personally am against naming wines with silly names. Wine does not taste like a cupcake or layer cake for that matter! Ruffino is disappointing because their wine is in a clear bottle. Avoid buying wine in clear bottles unless it’s the most recent vintage and you plan on drinking it soon. This is because light damages wine over time.

Dos and Don’ts

Make sure that you chill the Moscato properly. Put it in the fridge at least an hour before you want to drink it and pull it out right before you want to serve it. I hope you have some decent wine glasses at home that match with stems. White wine glasses should be of the smaller variety. Anything bigger than 8oz (1 cup) is probably too big. If that’s all you have, then buy some smaller ones. The reason is (and there’s always a reason when it comes to wine LOL) that you don’t want to pour more than 3-4 oz. at a time so that the wine doesn’t lose it’s cool before you are finished drinking it. You want to leave room in the glass for the wine’s aroma so you can smell it. Good restaurants know this and it’s how you can tell when you are at one.

Moscato d’Asti Wine Tasting

The first thing you will notice is that there will be some bubbles in it. Not as much as Champagne though. This is because Moscato d’Asti  has a small amount that occur in the wine making process which is intended. It is referred to in Italy as frizzante (slightly bubbly). Wines will usually give off an aroma, but you do have to swirl them to bring out the aromas. The easiest method is to put the glass down on a smooth surface and move the glass in a circular fashion slowly increasing the speed until the wine starts to rise up the glass, then smell it. Moscato should give off aromas of peach, citrus and honey. The flavors to expect will be stone fruit, tropical fruit, orange and dried apricots.

Moscato d’Asti Wine Pairing

Moscato d’Asti wine pairs well with pate, grilled salmon, fresh fruit, cold cuts, melon and prosciutto, fruit tarts, sorbet and soft cheeses like mozzarella. Drink it before a meal as an aperitif or afterwards for dessert. It is low in alcohol about 5-7% or half of which most wines have. Therefore, it’s a great daytime wine that won’t leave you too drunk for the rest of the day. It’s okay if your store doesn’t carry Vietti. As long as it has Asti, then have fun and pick a label if you want. Buy more than one kind to compare.

Click here to see more varietals or here to learn more about how to pick a wine.