Moscato wine, while being wildly popular, is misunderstood by many.
Moscato is the Italian name that refers to one of the most ancient wine grape varieties. Many highly regarded wine connoisseurs dismiss some of the greatest Moscato wines as being a sugary alcoholic beverage trying to pass itself off as a fine wine. They are, however, gravely mistaken.
There is an expansive variety of excellent Moscato wines available today. The most commonly planted grape variety of the Moscato family is Muscat Blanc or ‘Moscato Bianco’. This grape is harvested to produce Moscato d’Asti. The iconic sweet and fizzy wine is typically produced in Piedmont, Italy – a region that’s renowned for its truffle hunting.
Take a look at the best Moscato wines you should be sipping on:
Caposaldo Sparkling Peach Moscato, Italy
This sparkling wine is adored by many for its exquisite blend of spring-like aromas. When enjoying this wine, you will detect notes of honeysuckle, peach, and various other citrus fruits. It has been rather aptly described as “fruity, frothy, and flirty”. It pairs excellently with sweet pastries, fresh sorbets, and fruits.
Caposaldo is one of the well-known Moscato wine brands. Their grapes are grown in Italy’s Lombardy region along a sea of temperate hilltops. Their optimal growth is achieved when planted in chalky and white marl soils. Flanked by the Alps, the low-yield vineyard is protected from the harsher elements that would hinder a successful harvest.
Paolo Saracco Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Italy
This favoured Moscato d’Asti hails from the birthplace of all great Moscatos; Piedmont Italy. The estate on which these grapes are grown has been under the guardianship of one family for more than a century.
Today, it’s run by the widely respected Paolo – a third generation winemaker whose success is an almost inevitable outcome. Born in the lap of wine valley, Paolo has certainly made a name for himself following the release of the Paolo Saracco Moscato d’Asti DOCG.
2012 Jaboulet Beaumes De Venise Muscat, France
This clear-coloured wine is often used as an ingredient in a selection of cocktails. It is praised for its potent yet delicate flavour combination of mango, lychee, peach, apricot, and grape. Its alcohol by volume (ABV) is 15% which is slightly higher than other Moscato varieties.
Revered for its gentle balance of sweet and acidic, this wine pairs excellently with fish and chicken dishes as well as creamy desserts.
2011 Stein Family Magic Hour White Moscato, USA
The rosé wines sold by the Stein Family have been recognised as particularly distinctive. Unlike its standard counterparts, this wine – considered one of the best Moscato wines – is 14% Cabernet Franc. This lends the Magic Hour White Moscato its unique reddish tint.
To match its warm and dark hue, the flavour of this popular wine tends towards plum and strawberry.
The low-alcohol-content wine is composed of 86% Moscato and 14% Cabernet Franc.
What makes this one of the best Moscato wines is that – apart from its standalone merit – the Stein Family uses 5% of their annual revenue to fund the education of their vineyard worker’s children.
G.D. Vajra Moscato d’Asti, Italy
This wine is regarded by Liquor.com as one of the best Moscato wines of all time. As has been previously mentioned, Moscato d’Asti is the most popular variety of this class of wine and this specific brand is also produced in the iconic Piedmont Italy.
Its effervescence ranges on the spectrum from frizzante to spumante and it is typically sweet to off-dry. G.D. Vajra is one of the region’s most respected winemakers. They’re praised for their responsible farming methods, high quality bottles, and rich history.
Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato, Australia
Innocent Bystander is widely regarded as one of the best Moscato brands. It is produced in the southerly Victoria region of Australia and it is comprised of a unique blend of Muscat Gordo and black variety Muscat that sets it apart from other Moscato varieties.
According to Wine-Searcher, it is the most sought after pink Moscato in the world. It contains an expertly crafted concoction of fruity flavours such as citrus rind, candied apples, and sweet rhubarb. This popular wine pairs well with cheese boards as well as nut selections.
Domaine Cazes Muscat de Rivesaltes, France
Southern France is famous for its cultivation of the grapes that produce some of the greatest Moscato wine brands. This Muscat-based sweet wine boasts delicious sugary notes of honey, juicy apricots, and orange blossom.
The inclusion of a neutral grape-based spirit, which is added prior to the completion of the vinification process, increases the ABV to a minimum of 15%.
Michele Chiarlo Nivole, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Italy
‘Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita’, or ‘DOCG’ for short, is the highest level of quality that can be granted to a wine. This wine packs a flavourful punch of freshly-cut herbs, wild flower blossoms, jasmine, peaches, and apricots.
Any sweet wine fan is guaranteed to fall in love with this Moscato wine brand. Furthermore, all the fruits used in its production are organically grown and harvested – a more authentic sweet wine will be hard to come by.
Coppo Moncalvina, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Italy
This wine hails from the gentle Canelli slopes of Piedmont Italy. The history of Coppo dates back to the 18th century as is proven by their ancient underground wine cellars. In fact, these cellars are so iconic and precious that they have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While Coppo is most famous for its revolutionary use of the red grape Barbera, the sparkly Moscato d’Asti is by far its best seller.
Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat, Australia
Despite its origins in Australia – a lesser-known producer of Moscato – this wine earned its place on the list of top 10 wines in 1998. It is made using the pink and red clones of Muscat. Its dark amber colour is indicative of its spicy aroma with hints of orange rind and nuts.
Yalumba has also been widely praised for their environmental conservation efforts. For every hectare of vineyards planted, they reforest another hectare with indigenous forest. This means drinking their wine is actually helping the planet!