For those of you who don’t know, Moscato wines are wines that are made from the muscat grape. Typically, Moscato wines are sweet, low in alcohol, and white. However, there are numerous types of Moscato; some are sparkling, some are still, some are white wines and some are rosés.
The authentic Moscato wines, Moscato d’Asti and Asti Spumante, are only made in Italy, in Piedmont. However, muscat grapes have become increasingly popular and are now grown to make Moscato wines all over the world.
These sweet wines are perfect for any occasion. They can be given as a gift to your adult friend with a sweet tooth; used in cocktails to give them some extra sweetness; or just enjoyed after a long day at work when you need a pick-me-up.
What Moscato wines are commonly paired with are spicy dishes, as their sweetness counters their overwhelming heat.
With such a wide range of choices, it can be difficult to know which one to pick. That is why we have done the hard graft for you! We have tried and tested some of the best Moscato wines out there, and put together what we found out in this article.
If you want to try a Moscato but are not quite sure which one to go for, take a look below at ten of the best Moscato wines on the market, and pick your favorite!
OUR TOP PICK
We’re kicking off proceedings with a pretty pink beverage. This wine looks super cute, and tastes even sweeter. The most prominent flavors in this Moscato are sherbet and rhubarb, although there is a tangy hint of citrus that prevents the flavor from being overwhelmingly sweet.
This wine is produced all the way over in Australia, in the Yarra Valley, and has a soothing ABV of 5.5%. We found that the wine worked perfectly on its own, but also complemented cheeses and salads really well.
The fruity flavors really counterbalance the savory bitterness of cheeses like brie and camembert as well as fresh fruit would, but is a bit more fun than actual fruit!
EDITORS CHOICE
This light white wine is from California and has a gentle ABV of 4.5%. It is bubbly, fresh, and smells amazing! The taste is typical of a Moscato and very sweet, but our favorite part was the flavor of melon that permeated our taste buds.
Peach is also a very present flavor in this wine, and helps it to go beautifully alongside fruit salads and savory foods that need a sweet partner. We got such summery vibes from this wine, and loved the artistic label that features a painting of an angel.
BEST VALUE
Next on our list is an authentic Moscato all the way from Piedmont. It’s a combination of a frizzante and a spumante wine, so it is fizzy and the flavors burst all over your tongue.
Frizzante wines are known for their froth and bubbliness, and spumante wines are softer on the tongue, so the combination of both in this wine makes it a well-rounded texture on the palate.
The flavors in this wine are light and floral, overflowing with notes of blossoms and honeysuckle. We loved how delicate the tasting experience was, and felt like we were inhaling a glass of flower petals!
RUNNER UP
This is one of my favorite Moscato wines. It is affordable, juicy and perfect for any occasion. I personally buy this Moscato wine whenever I am hosting a summer gathering, or if my sweet-toothed partner wants a treat (we had this on our first date!).
Okay, so I may be a little biased, but the tasting notes of this wine are delicious, if you are looking for something extremely sweet to sip on. Sweet notes of cherry are met with tangy tones of raspberry and pomegranate, which add to the fruitiness of the drink but prevent it from being too sickly-sweet.
This Californian wine is a little stronger than most Moscato wines, with an ABV of 8.5%, but you wouldn’t know from the way it goes down so smoothly. It’s like juice for adults!
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Our second authentic Moscato on the list, also from Piedmont, comes from a reputable wine producer that prioritizes responsible farming. So, you can sip away at this wine guilt-free!
The fruit flavors that burst out of this wine are phenomenal; notes of pear and lychee are perfectly matched and provide a refreshing juiciness to this wine. The lightness of the fruity tastes is complemented by the delicate notes of honeysuckle and rose.
Our favorite elements were the lychee and rose flavors, and the scent that they created. This wine is delicate, classy, and a delight to drink.
RUNNER UP
Wow, Piedmont really delivers, when it comes to Moscato wines. This 5.5% Italian gem combines the sweet syrupy flavor of honey with zesty notes of lemon peel, which combine to give a perfectly balanced flavor.
Pair this with a light lunch, or enjoy it alongside sweet brunch dishes, like pancakes and French toast. It is plenty enough enjoyable by itself, too.
Our favorite thing about this Moscato wine was the decadent dark blue bottle that it comes in, which makes it perfect for gift-giving or for using as a candle holder once it’s been emptied!
RUNNER UP
This next wine is ideal for pairing with a sweet dessert. Flavors of apple and peach flow out of this golden liquid, and bring out the juiciness of fruity desserts and snacks. It’s almost like fruit salad in a bottle!
The texture of the wine is smooth and creamy, and slips down your neck almost too easily! This is the perfect bottle to bring a dinner party to a satisfying close.
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This French Moscato wine is an affordable rosé bubbly. It works in any situation, and with a range of food. Enjoy it on its own, as an apéritif, or with a sweet dessert, and you won’t be disappointed.
A youthful flavor combination of berries and cream dominates this sparkling wine, and makes it a treat in and of itself. Our favorite thing about it? It is super cheap.
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This wine is produced in Oregon through organic and biodynamic farming, meaning that it has been ethically made. By drinking this Moscato, you are basically doing something good for the environment, right?
The aromatics of this wine are phenomenal; it is bursting with the smells of a flowery meadow, and has notes of jasmine and lilacs. The flavor is just as tantalizing, and is full of lychee notes and lashings of mango.
Its fruitiness makes it a great dessert wine, but it apparently also goes well with fish dishes. The best thing about this bottle, in our opinion, is the beautiful floral label, which seems to pay homage to a Japanese garden.
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This French-made Moscato wine is produced by Zind-Humbrecht; a company that has been making wines since 1959. Their experience is evident in the wine’s perfect balance between sweet fruitiness and acidity. If you’re fancy enough to try it, this wine is best served with shellfish!
So, if you are planning on cooking up an up-market feast or are looking for a romantic evening plan, you may have just hit gold. We didn’t splash out on any shellfish, and can say that it was superbly enjoyable on its own.
RUNNER UP
The color scheme of this bottle is to die for. A sleek light blue label is matched with the bottle cap, and works alongside the light peach color of the wine to create a bottle that looks classy and refreshing, before you’ve even opened it.
The peachy color of the wine is matched with the peach flavor that permeates the liquid, and is joined by notes of orange and apricot. Its ABV is 5%, and it makes sense that it is such a high-quality wine, because it is from Piedmont.
We tried this wine with a charcuterie board, and can vouch for the pairing. This wine would also be a brilliant addition to any Asian-inspired meal, thanks to its notes of blossom and lychee.
RUNNER UP
This Argentinian Moscato is made from grapes that are grown in the highest altitude vineyards in the country. The high altitude of the vineyard sites causes drastic changes in temperature, which in turn causes the grapes to grow more concentrated than most others.
This gives the wine a strong flavor, filled with notes of peach and honeysuckle. As with most Moscato wines, the Don Rodolfo goes really well with spicy dishes, as its sweetness counteracts their heat.
Buyer’s Guide
Now that we’ve shown your own top picks for Moscato wines, you need to decide what is most important to you before purchasing your own. There are so many different types and flavors of Moscato wines, from a wide range of countries.
Read on to take a look at the most important things we think you need to consider before beginning your wine haul.
Spumante Vs. Frizzante
Some Moscato wines are still, and some are fizzy. If you prefer fizzy wines, you will be faced with a choice of either spumante or frizzante Moscato. The main difference between these two wines is their level of effervescence, i.e. how bubbly they are.
Spumante wines have more pressure, so have more bubbles. These give the wine’s texture a smooth fizz, which many people describe as moussey. It is delicate and soft on the palate. Frizzante, on the other hand, is a semi-sparkling wine, with fewer bubbles. Take these factors into consideration when choosing your Moscato (see also 'All Major Differences Between Prosecco And Moscato').
Color
Moscato wines range from white, to rosé, to red. The color you pick depends upon your preference, and upon what you are planning on serving the wine with. White Moscato wines, for example, tend to be the most-suited Moscato to fish dishes.
Rosé Moscato wines typically pair nicely with desserts or sweet meals. Each wine is unique, so look into what each one pairs with before buying for a special occasion.
Alongside the differences in flavor between the colors, they also provide different aesthetics. I tend to go for rosé Moscato wines, purely because I love their sweet pink color!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Keep My Moscato Wine In The Fridge?
Absolutely! Moscato wines are almost always best served chilled. We would be very surprised if you were to find one that suggested otherwise!
Keep it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before you serve it, to make sure that it tastes as refreshing as possible! The cool temperature of the wine really highlights the fresh fruity flavors within it.
I want to share with you all of my favorites, as well as share advice on picking certain alcohols and flavors.
I hope you enjoy my articles as much as I enjoyed researching them!
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