Everything you need to know about Moscato

Floral and fruity, Moscato (pron. moe-ska-toe) is the ultimate summer drinking wine.

With its light alcohol and pronounced grapey perfume, it’s the perfect wine for enjoying on the patio on a sunny afternoon.

To celebrate World Moscato Day on Thursday 9th May we want to bring these gorgeous wines to your attention – and maybe get you trying some of them this weekend.

In his book, Grapes and Wines, Oz Clarke rightly laments “the Muscat grape is treated with casual disregard by the majority of wine drinkers”. To us, this seems ridiculous for a grape which is as old as wine itself – theory has it that it dates back to ancient Egypt and Persia (c. 3000-1000 BC).

Moscato styles

Its primary flavours are sweet fruity and floral notes – think pear, orange blossom, grape and honeysuckle. It’s light in body and alcohol, usually comes in off-dry and sweet styles and can be still, sparkling, white, rosé or red.

One of the most popular Moscato wines is from Piedmonte in Italy and is known as Moscato d’Asti (pron. moe-ska-toe d-ass-tea). One of the most charming fizz styles you can imagine, this lightly sparkling wine packs bags of grapey, rose petal flavour and sweetness finished with light bubbles.

We also love this thirst-quenching Rosé – Hacienda de Lluna Moscatel Rosado – which was just made to be sipped in the hot Spanish sun (although if we’re lucky we might get some of that in the UK this summer too!)

Moscato can also used to make dessert wines like this Royal Tokaji (pron. tock-eye) Yellow Muscat which, despite its delicate floral aromas, sings with citrus flavours to create an utterly refreshing drink.

What should I eat with Moscato?

We love enjoying a glass of the Tosti Moscato d’Asti alongside a slice of Madeira or almond cake – remember desserts are best paired with wines that are just as sweet as them, if not sweeter.

But because these wines are sweet and light in alcohol they also pair perfectly with slightly spicy dishes from South East Asia – we think they’re perfect with a big bowl of Vietnamese Pho packed full of fresh herbs and chillies.

We’d recommend against pairing Moscato with big, bold, meaty flavours but chicken, white fish and pork would all work wonderfully too.

How should I serve Moscato?

As with most white, rosé and sparkling wines, Moscato is best served well-chilled to help keep the floral and fruity aromas in balance with the sweet flavours.

About Laithwaite's Wine

We’re wine nuts, not wine snobs. We’ve been exploring the world on a mission to find great wine for the last 50 years. If you love adventure as much as we do, you belong with us. We know our winegrowers like family – and in some cases they actually are. Expect to hear from these legends of the soil, see behind the scenes access into vineyards and wineries and get news on fresh finds from our travels on this page. Drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for further health information. You must be aged 18 or over to follow.

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