Moscato wines are made with Muscat grapes. There are more than 200 varieties of Muscat grapes, with the most common being Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat Canelli. Both varietals are used in winemaking, although Muscat of Alexandria is generally grown for table grapes and raisins. At Salt of the Earth (Quady Winery), we use blends of Orange Muscat, Black Muscat and Muscat Canelli in our wines. It is rare to find Orange and Black Muscat as the predominant varietals in a wine; Black Muscat itself is a rare varietal because it is the only Muscat grape with a black skin and it is the most aromatic of all Muscat varietals. 

Moscato (Italian) and Muscat (French) mean the same thing, however, Muscat wines are often thought of as being in the fortified style with higher alcohol (15-18%) and a heavier body, while Moscato usually refers to a style of wine made from Muscat grapes that is low alcohol (4.5-5.5%), light-bodied and sweet with light bubbles (frizzante) and fruit and floral aromas and flavors. This is likely due to the popularity of Moscato d’Asti wine from Italy, which is sweet, light bodied, frizzante and low alcohol. In addition to sparkling and semi-sparkling, other styles of Moscato wine include still Moscato, pink Moscato, red Moscato, and Moscato dessert wines.   

Because it is sweet, Moscato can certainly be enjoyed paired with desserts, but because of its low alcohol content, light body and balanced acidity, Moscato also pairs excellently with spicy foods, cultural cuisines, salads, brunch and so much more. Moscato is more of an “any time” wine than a dessert wine! Dessert wines tend to be fuller bodied and higher in alcohol, around 15% or higher.   

White Moscato is sweet and has flavors and aromas of citrus, pear, stone fruit like peach and apricot, orange blossom and honeysuckle. Red Moscato, when made with true Black Muscat grapes like Moscato Rubino, has flavors and aromas of fresh red berries, cherry and the tartness of pomegranate. 

No, Moscato is a low alcohol, light-bodied sweet wine best served chilled due to its light bubbles that are crisp and refreshing on the palate. This easy-drinking wine has citrus and floral flavors and aromas that complement a variety of foods, from savory to spicy to sweet.  

The Muscat grapes used to make Moscato have high residual sugar and low acid, resulting in a sweet wine. To produce Salt of the Earth Moscatos, we ferment the grape juice slowly at very cold temperatures in order to preserve the natural sweetness in the grape juice and the CO2 bubbles that result from fermentation. The result is light bodied, sweet Moscatos with crisp bubbles that are refreshing and full of fruit flavors and aromas. 

Moscato is a low-alcohol wine (4.5% to 6.5%). For comparison, traditional table wines are usually in the 13% range. Because Moscato is sweet and lower in alcohol, it is crisp and refreshing on the palate with light bubbles and fruit and floral flavors and aromas.   

Moscato is a fantastic wine for beginners because of its sweet taste, fruity flavors and aromas, and low alcohol content. Its slight spritz also makes it crisp and refreshing. While Salt of the Earth Moscatos are an ideal wine for beginners, they are also a great choice for seasoned wine drinkers because of their complexity and distinctive Muscat flavors and aromas. Made by the sweet wine experts at Quady Winery, Salt of the Earth Moscatos feature only Muscat varietals for true flavors and aromas balanced with characteristic Muscat sweetness and acidity.  

Moscato is best served chilled, so we recommend refrigerating it until fully chilled before enjoying. The Moscato’s temperature should reach about 40 °F to soften its sweetness and allow its fruit and floral flavors and aromas to stand out. After opening the bottle, store in the fridge for up to a week. Moscato is also the type of wine that does well with ice in it, however, you do run the risk of watering down some of the flavors, aromas and bubbles this way.   

Ready for your Moscato before it’s chilled? You can put ice in it to cool it down while sipping! Just keep in mind that as with any drink you put ice in, you run the risk of watering down the flavors, aromas and bubbles as the ice melts. Your best option is to refrigerate your Moscato until completely chilled before consuming.  

The best way to drink Moscato is chilled. Refrigerate it for several hours until it is completely chilled or reaches a temperature of about 40 °F. This will soften its sweetness and allow its flavors and aromas to shine.   

Because it is low in alcohol and sweet, Moscato pairs best with salty and spicy foods. Sweetness is a complementary flavor to saltiness and spiciness, while the low alcohol in Moscato means the alcohol won’t clash with the heat in the dish. Try Moscato Rubino and Flore de Moscato with a variety of cultural foods, brunch and picnic foods, zesty barbecue, salads, tart cheeses like goat cheese, mild creamy cheeses like brie, and salty cheeses like blue cheese.  

Moscato is light and sweet, so it pairs well with light desserts like fruit tarts and pies, chocolate truffles, cookies, meringues and creamy desserts like cheesecake and vanilla ice cream. 

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Unfortunately, due to the type of licensing we have, we cannot sell and ship Salt of the Earth wines direct to consumer.