Moscato: grape varieties, pairings and Italian denominations to try

The Persians saw this coming when they nicknamed this grape variety with the term musk, which means fragrant. In the organoleptic notes of Muscat, in fact, one can find particular and intense scents, typical of musk or nutmeg. Characteristics that, together with the natural sweetness of this wine, make every taste an intoxicating experience.

But it would be reductive to banally define it as an end-of-meal wine: existing in both sweet and dry versions, this popular product in Italy and abroad is much more versatile than one might imagine.

Here is everything you need to know about Muscat wines, including appellations, characteristics and food pairings!

The King of Sweet Italian Wines: A Brief History of Moscato

The Persian etymology of the name Moscato (from musk, but also from the Sanskrit muskà) is anything but coincidental. In fact, it seems that the first traces of the vine can be traced to the Middle Eastern areas of the Mediterranean, although the first Italian diffusion does not date back before the 2nd century BC, when the Greeks reached southern Italy.

Nicknamed Anathelicon Moscaton by the Greeks, Moscato Bianco - genetically considered the progenitor of all other varieties - experienced its first widespread distribution in Sicily, specifically in Syracuse, and then spread to most of the Peninsula by the Romans, who gave its grapes the name Apicae or Apianae. Its fragrance - it was said - was such that bees fell in love with it.

The step to conquering the rest of Italy and Europe was a short one: during the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants made it known throughout northern Italy, eventually taking it to Switzerland, Germany and France, in a journey that allowed this wine to be appreciated by many, as well as to split into numerous variants, without however ever renouncing its intense aromaticity, one of the most emblematic characteristics of Muscat wines.

The history of the Muscat grape variety, therefore, is that of an insatiable globetrotter, which has managed to put down roots in almost every place it has visited, obtaining numerous important designations.

Muscat grape varieties: vinification techniques, denominations and characteristics

The production of Muscat wines can vary from product to product, but generally follows more or less uniform processes:

• Harvest: this usually takes place later than many other grape varieties, to increase the sugar level in the berries.
• Pressing: soft, to obtain a fine must.
• Fermentation: long in the case of dry wines, to transform most of the sugars into alcohol. It is shorter in the case of fine wines, in order to preserve a consistent sugar level.
• Maturation: variable in terms of timing and materials used for storage. Organoleptic nuances and the degree of aromatic intensity depend on it.

The father of a very large family, Moscato Bianco has branched out so far and so long over the centuries that it has given rise to a complex family tree, which is not easy to keep track of. However, nine main families can be identified, each characterised by specific traits and represented by different Italian Moscato wine appellations.

The White Muscat

It is the most widespread varietal in Italy and abroad, used to produce both sweet and sparkling wines. The grape variety especially appreciates dry climates and soils rich in limestone, while it dislikes clayey soils.

Moscato Bianco gives rise to a wine with a straw-yellow colour, mottled with golden hues. The aromatic bouquet combines floral and fruity scents, as well as refreshing hints that soften the natural sweetness of the grapes.

Such characteristics can be found in Piedmont (home of the beloved Barolo and Barbera) in a glass of Moscato d'Asti DOCG, a Piedmontese wine that smells of peach, orange blossom and thyme, and that skilfully balances sweetness and liveliness.

Another illustrious example is the effervescent version of Moscato, the Asti Spumante DOCG, in which hints of flowers (orange, wisteria and acacia), citrus, peach and apricot fade into notes of aromatic herbs in the finish. The balance between sweetness and acidity is also excellent.

Equally noteworthy is the Apulian Moscato di Trani DOC, whose soft, dense texture and intense sweetness gladden the palate, while the nose is won over by scents of apricot and candied orange, as well as intriguing hints of spice.

The Yellow and Pink Muscat

A lover of north-eastern Italy, Moscato Giallo has found its ideal terroir in Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Lombardy (but also to the west, in Val d'Aosta). The terroir offered by these regions is developed on hilly heights between 400 and 500 metres above sea level, and on soils rich in clay and sand.

Yellow Muscat grapes are usually used to produce passito or dry wines, either still or sparkling. They generally have a not too bright golden yellow colour and citrus notes, which mingle with hints of white peach, elderflower, and spices (such as nutmeg). On the palate, the sweetness is mitigated by interesting hints of minerality and acidity, which make the taste anything but cloying.

All of this can be appreciated first and foremost in the Moscato Giallo Secco Alto Adige DOC 2022, refined and elegant, sweet only in appearance, but actually pleasant even in its dry and dry version, whose peach and herb aromas give way to a refreshing taste.

Another famous and noteworthy designation is the Fior d'Arancio Colli Euganei DOCG wine, produced in Veneto.

Also widespread in north-eastern Italy, Moscato Rosa is a rather prized dark grape variety with a limited yield and late ripening. Characterised by a natural sweetness - due to the sugar level in the berries - it is perfect for producing dessert and liqueur wines. The latter sport a colour ranging from rosé to ruby red, while on the nose one can distinguish scents of roses and berries, as well as spicy touches. Its sweetness is intense, but mitigated by a good degree of acidity and pleasant mineral notes. 

Discovering Zibibbo: Moscato d'Alessandria

There are those who call it Zibibbo (from the Arabic Zabīb, meaning raisin) and those who prefer to refer to it by the name Moscato d'Alessandria: this vine of Mediterranean origins has taken root in Italy in the south of the peninsula, becoming particularly attached to Sicily, where it has taken root in a terroir characterised by a dry climate, which helps to concentrate the sugar in the grapes. It also appreciates considerable ventilation - of which the island is not lacking - and adapts easily to various types of soil, provided they do not retain too much moisture.

When talking about Zibibbo, it is impossible not to mention Moscato naturale di Pantelleria DOC. Sweet and persuasive, this wine with its slightly intense straw yellow colour is recognisable by its organoleptic notes of white-fleshed fruit and melon, with candied and citrus scents that seem to celebrate the beauty of the land. These traits return to the taste examination, which conquers with a natural sweetness and remarkable harmony.

Moscato Nero: the sub-types of Acqui and Scanzo

Despite the preponderance of white Muscat grapes, there is no shortage of dark berry versions.

One of them, rather rare, is Moscato Nero d'Acqui, cultivated in Piedmont, in the hilly area of the same name in the province of Alessandria. The fact that it is hardly ever used in purity has unfortunately diminished its fame.

Another, better-known version is that of Scanzo, widespread in the Scanzorosciate area of Lombardy. From these grapes, Moscato di Scanzo DOCG is produced, much appreciated and celebrated in the area. The terroir made up of marly and calcareous soils, rich in mineral elements, well exposed to the sun and characterised by a mild Mediterranean climate (despite its northern location), gives the wine a garnet red colour and a complex aromatic bouquet, including notes of cherry, rose, honey and spicy hints of honey and liquorice.

The sweetness of the product welcomes a slightly almondy finish and flavours of rosehips, plums and herbs.

Moscatello Selvatico, of Terracina and Saracena

Moscatello Selvatico, cultivated between the Murge area and the Conca di Bari, in the Puglia region, appreciates soils composed mainly of silt and clay, rich in mineral elements. Its vinification produces wines with a straw-yellow colour and pleasant citrus notes, with hints of apple and chamomile. It is fresh, drinkable and delicate on the palate.

Moscatello di Terracina, on the other hand, is an indigenous grape variety of Lazio, cultivated at altitudes between 0 and 863 metres above sea level, and on mixed soils characterised by sand, gravel, clay, limestone and silt. The Mediterranean-type climate, with dry summers and mild winters, allows the vines to flourish and produce wines with a straw-yellow colour and aromas of yellow-fleshed fruit and citrus fruits, with hints of honey. The palate is dry and savoury.

Closing this review is Moscatello di Saracena, an indigenous grape variety cultivated in the province of Cosenza, around the municipality of the same name in the region of Calabria, on clay soils. Boiling the must makes it possible to concentrate the level of sugars and increase the sweetness and alcohol content, to produce a wine that smells of dried figs, exotic fruit and honey, and that conquers the palate with a lingering sweetness.

Not just desserts: the gastronomic pairings of Muscat wines in their different types

Given the innate sweetness of most of these wines, it would be more than natural to make recommendations for pairing Moscato wines with desserts of various kinds. However, it is good to appreciate this wine in all its nuances - from sparkling to dry and sweet - in accompaniment to various menus and dishes.

If one wishes to break one's hunger with a tasty aperitif, the ideal wine is an Asti Spumante DOCG, which certainly does not disdain sweet dishes, but which proves particularly appropriate with salmon crostini, salami platters, sandwiches and rustic cakes of various kinds, as well as a refined tray of oysters.

There is also no shortage of combinations with white meats, first courses and fish main courses: Trentino Moscato Giallo, for example, in its dry version, likes chicken and rabbit recipes, but also risottos of various types, ethnic dishes and recipes in which shellfish - whose flesh is characterised by an innate sweetness - are the protagonists.

As for combinations between desserts and Moscato wines, it is impossible not to take a trip to Sicily with Moscato di Pantelleria, which particularly appreciates ice cream, puddings, trifle and other spoon desserts. Not bad either with shortcrust and fruit pastries, like its colleague Moscato d'Asti.

Finally, for those who like to enjoy blue cheeses at the end of a meal, a Moscato di Scanzo is the ideal accompaniment, while Moscato di Trani loves to accompany chocolate snacks!

Fancy sweet or dry Muscat? On Svinando you can find both versions, with many other fine appellations!