Moscato Wine Fest: a grape variety to restart

I have been to the Muscat Wine Fest 2021 a month ago now and I have been absent from the blog for a while now, but I am an excused absentee because I am spending the whole month of August finishing the third edition of my book "How to become a Sommelier"which, I anticipate, will leave you speechless! 🤩 So here I am today to write to you about another wonderful Go Wine event I attended and to tell you about a few labels I particularly enjoyed. And since it was an event dedicated to Muscat, I will focus on telling you why this grape variety is so special through the wines I liked best (in order of tasting). And as always, I tasted them all! 😉

Meanwhile, to speak of a Muscat grape variety means little, apart from framing a certainly aromatic variety. Among the white grape varieties we find the white muscatthe Muscat of Terracinathe yellow muscat and the Muscat Ottonel. Among the black grape varieties are the Hamburg Muscatthe Manzoni Muscatthe Muscat of Scanzo and the black muscat of Acqui. And then we also have a pink grape variety, the pink Muscat. Come to think of it, I think most of my favourite wines are made from these grape varieties. The Moscato di Scanzo by Francesca Pagnoncelli, l'Ca' ed Curen (dry vinified white muscat), theEcstasy in Harmony Pas Dosé by Franco di Filippo (moscato reale di Trani passito vinified using the classic method)... perhaps it is because I am a great oyster lover (by the way, did you know that it is with this article on oysters that I won the Millésima Blog Awards as Europe's best wine blogger in the category food-wine pairing) and anchovies in butter?

Moscato Temperss 2019, Tenuta Il Nespolo

The first wine I am talking about is a delicious dry Muscat. It has a beautiful bright straw yellow colour with greenish highlights. Very pleasant nose with notes of aromatic herbs, apricot, cane sugar and white peach. In the mouth it is harmonic, very fresh, characteristic and consistent. Very pleasant to drink with a round apricot finish.

Moscato d'Asti DOCG 2020 'Filari Corti', Carussin

I tasted all the Moscato d'Asti DOCG and there were quite a few, some really good ones like Gianni Doglia's or the Casera... but this Filari Corti really stole my heart. A classic pale straw yellow colour with very fine bubbles. A nose I would recognise among a thousand, with intense notes of brown sugar, pear, mint, lime honey... delicious! In the mouth it is harmonious, very fresh and characteristic. Very pleasant to drink with a round finish that fades into delicate hints of apricot.

Moscato Giallo Trentino DOC 2019, Cantina Isera

It has a beautiful bright straw yellow colour with greenish highlights at the edges. Very good nose, characteristic of Muscat, with lots of aromatic herbs, ripe pear, lime blossom. In the mouth it is balanced with a nice structure that facilitates pairing with fish, shellfish and vegetables throughout the meal.

Moscato Giallo 2018 IGP Lazio, Casa Divina Provvidenza

One of the wines in the tasting that surprised me the most. A completely different style, already revealed by its intense golden yellow colour. The nose is distinctive, with notes of camphor and ripe apricot. In the mouth it is fat, slightly oxidised, pleasant and balanced. Excellent structure and long finish.

Moscato Secco Veneto IGT "Ca' Suppiej" 2019, San Nazario

A very special style for this white moscato from Veneto. It is a beautiful straw yellow with golden reflections, consistent. The nose is really good with notes of ripe yellow-fleshed fruit, dandelion flowers, yeast, juniper, candied lemon peel. In the mouth it is consistent, fresh, characteristic, pleasant and with a delicious almond finish.

Moscadello di Montalcino DOC Vendemmia Tardiva 'Pascena' 2015, Col d'Orcia

I visited this wonderful winery in February 2015 during Benvenuto Brunello, a splendid event that I visited with my friend and fellow sommelier Andrea (if you want to read the article you will find it HERE and be patient with the form this blog was really in its infancy...).

I had already fallen in love with this wine and this vintage was a confirmation. It is a beautiful, bright and consistent golden yellow. The nose is pleasantly balsamic with notes of apricot, cedar and candied pear. In the mouth it is consistent, intense, elegant, mineral and with a long finish.

Moscato del Molise DOC 'Apianae' 2017, Di Majo Norante

The last battery of Muscat of the South thrilled me. Three of them in particular: Piani di Tufara Moscato di Trani Dolce Naturale, Terre Siciliane IGP Moscato vino liquoroso Heritage by Francesco Intorcia & Figli (about that, Did you know that I conducted a wonderful tasting on Marsala? HERE the article on the Marsala Magic Tour 2018 On that occasion I fell in love with Francesco Intorcia's Vergine Riserva Vintage 1980 Heritage!) and this wine from Molise really impressed me!

Apianae is a distinctive Muscat. It has a beautiful bright colour between gold and amber, consistent. The nose has intense notes of orange blossom, dried apricot, date, lime honey, violet and rhubarb. In the mouth it is consistent, opulent, fresh, with a really well-dosed sugar and a long, almost marsala-like finish. I would have eaten foie gras with it... 😍

With this journey through Muscat Italy, I think I have given you very different expressions of this fascinating grape family. Many thanks to Go Wine for this wonderful tasting and it was a real pleasure to meet the president of this association that works superlatively with both the more emblazoned appellations and the so-called children of a lesser Bacchus, lawyer Massimo Corrado. It is also a pleasure to meet my colleague Lia Magistro. Hope to see you both soon!🥳

Cheers 🍷

Chiara

P.S. You can now buy my book or scroll down the page to leave me a comment! I'm curious if you have any Muscat to recommend me... 🤩

All my notes on wine and food in one book.