Why should you care? Moscato d’Asti is a moderately sweet, fragrant, gently fizzy, low-alcohol white wine produced in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. It’s way too easy to drink. With its musky perfume of soft citrus and stone fruits, melon and spring flowers, it’s perfect on its own during a summer afternoon on the patio. But it’s most often served with desserts, especially with fresh fruit or a fruit tart.
What does it taste like? The example from Vajra, from older vines in a single steep, high-altitude vineyard in the heart of the Moscato d’Asti zone, is particularly satisfying, thanks in part to the freshness of the 2010 vintage. Its utterly captivating aromas of peach, fresh apricot, mint and flowers lead to a surprisingly tactile yet delicate palate offering sweet, rich flavors of stone fruits, flowers, honey, botanical herbs and minerals energized by citrus zest acidity. This concentrated, unflagging wine is sheer deliciousness: I’ll bet you can’t stop with just one glass. And with alcohol of just 5.5%, you won’t have to.
How much does it cost, and where can you find it? $20-$23 (Martin-Scott Wines, Ltd., Lake Success, NY; Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ)
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