Friday 18 May 2012

Wine of the week #32: Moscato rosé (Sparkling/Sweet)

Hi all,


After all the fuss that was made about the low-alcohol Moscato mainly in the US and a bit in the UK, I thought I would have a taste at three different Moscato Rosé this week. The perfect ladies' night drink with less than 6% abv, light fruity flavours and lot of sweetness. 






It is
A medium-sweet frizzante Rosé made from Moscato grape grown in...Australia!


Expect
Appearance: light pink salmon colour & no fizz visible in the bottle at purchase.
Nose: sweet red berries, hints of flower.
Palate: persistant creamy fizz to start, generic summer red fruits flavours and long medium-sweet finish. Good balance between sweetness, fruit flavours, fizz and acidity.
Score: 10/20


A LOW-ALCOHOL SWEET PINK FIZZ FOR AN UNPRETENTIOUS IN THE SUMMER GARDEN (INSTEAD OF A RIBENA).


You'll like it if you like: sweeties, girly night when you can drink but stay in control, into low alcohol wines, raspberries and strawberries, fruity rosés.


Have it with:
Anything but your main meal. Great for apéritif on ice on a hot summer day with crisps and amuse-bouches.
Try it with bacon, cranberry & brie. Potentially all combined. ;)
Also worth a try with light fruit salads.


Find it in:
1) Laithwaites - Nine Tails Moscato - £8.99. Not a pretty cork but the most decent example tried. 10/20. See above
2) Tesco - Jacob's Creek Moscato Rosé - £7.79. A prettier bottle with surprisingly less fruit and more acidity. 8.5/20. Drink ice cold?
3) Sainsbury's - Banrock station Pink Moscato - £5.49. Less fizz, a lot of sugar & little taste. Also, how can they call this a 'fine wine' on the bottle?? 6/20


Key question: What I do with these now?






Did you know?
> Moscato is Italian for Muscat. The same type of grape you can find in dry Alsace wines or sweet Muscat Beaumes de Venise, some Greek, Australian (Rutherglen) sweet wines.


> Moscato/Muscat is a very aromatic grape that is also suitable for table consumption. It is one of the only grape with dual usage.


> In Italy, the main regions for Moscato are Piemonte (slightly fizzy Moscato d'Asti), Sicilia and Sardegna (Moscato di Cagliari and di Sorso Sennori).


> The Moscato shown above come from Australia. Mhhmm!?




Enjoy your wine!
:@lex