D'Asti moscato: what it is and how to serve it

D'Asti moscato, usually sold as Moscato d'Asti, is a lightly fizzy, sweet Italian white wine from Piedmont, made from the Moscato Bianco grape. It is low in alcohol and tastes of peach, orange blossom and fresh grapes. This guide covers what to expect, how to serve it, and what to pour it with.

What is d'Asti moscato?

Moscato d'Asti is a sweet, gently sparkling white wine from the hills around the town of Asti in Piedmont, in northwest Italy. It is made from a single grape, Moscato Bianco, and it carries the DOCG label, Italy's highest tier of wine regulation. That label means the grapes, the area and the way the wine is made are all controlled.

The wine is made to be fresh and aromatic rather than complex or aged. Fermentation is stopped early, while a good deal of the grape's natural sugar is still in the wine. That is why it is sweet and why it stays low in alcohol, usually around 5 to 5.5 percent by volume.

People say d'Asti moscato, Moscato d'Asti or just Asti moscato, and they all point to the same wine. If you want a bottle at the shop, any of those names will get you to the right shelf.

How does it taste, and how sweet is it?

Expect ripe peach, apricot, orange blossom and a clean grapey note, close to the smell of fresh Muscat grapes. The sweetness is real, but a good bottle is not heavy or syrupy. Acidity keeps it bright, and the bubbles are soft and fine rather than sharp.

The fizz is the part that surprises people. Moscato d'Asti is frizzante, meaning lightly sparkling, so the bubbles are gentler than in a Champagne or a Prosecco. Pour it and you will see a quick, delicate foam that settles fast.

If you usually drink dry wine, think of it as a dessert-style glass rather than a dinner-table white. If you like a fruit-forward, easy glass that does not overpower a meal, it is one of the friendlier styles to try.

Is Moscato d'Asti the same as Asti Spumante or other moscato?

No, and the differences matter when you are standing at the shelf. Moscato d'Asti is lightly fizzy and lower in alcohol. Asti, sometimes labelled Asti Spumante, comes from the same area and grape but is fully sparkling, with a firmer fizz and a little more alcohol, usually 6 to 9.5 percent.

Many other bottles simply say moscato. These can come from California, Australia or other parts of Italy and may be still, lightly fizzy or sparkling. They share the grape's peachy perfume, but they are not made under the Asti rules, so check the label for the words d'Asti if that is the wine you want.

A fully sparkling dry wine is a different thing again. If you want that style for a toast, the sparkling wine section is the place to look, and a bottle such as NICOLAS FEUILLATT Reserve Brut Champagne is a dry option, nothing like the sweetness of a moscato.

How cold should you serve it, and in what glass?

Serve d'Asti moscato well chilled, around 42 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. A few hours in the refrigerator does it, or about 30 minutes in a bucket of ice and cold water if you are short on time. Cold keeps the sweetness in check and the bubbles lively.

The bottle may have a cork held by a wire cage, or a screw cap. Corked bottles often open with only a soft sigh rather than a loud pop, because the pressure is lower than in fully sparkling wine. Hold the cork firmly while you ease it out.

A standard white wine glass suits it better than a narrow flute. The wider bowl lets the peach and blossom aromas open up. Fill it about halfway, so you can smell the wine before you drink it.

What food goes with d'Asti moscato?

Its sweetness and low alcohol make it a natural match for brunch and dessert. Fresh fruit, a peach or berry tart, almond biscotti, shortbread and light sponge cake all work well. A simple rule is to pick a dessert that is no sweeter than the wine, so the wine does not taste thin beside it.

It also handles salty and spicy food better than many people expect. A little sweetness softens heat, so a mild curry or spiced dishes can sit nicely beside a glass. Salty, creamy cheeses, including blue cheese, are a classic contrast.

For a Westford get-together, a bottle chilled alongside a fruit plate and a few cheeses is an easy way to end a meal. If you are planning for a larger group, the party planner is a good place to start.

How long does an open bottle last?

Moscato d'Asti is best young and best fresh. Check the bottle for a vintage and drink it within a year or two of that date, rather than putting it away in a cellar. The aromas fade with age, and the fruit is the whole point.

Once opened, the fizz goes first. Reseal the bottle with a sparkling wine stopper, keep it in the refrigerator and plan to finish it within a day or two. A screw-cap bottle can be closed again with its own cap.

Because the alcohol is low and the bottle is often a smaller format, it suits a modest pour with dessert rather than a long evening. Enjoy it at a relaxed pace, and only if you are 21 or over.

Where can you find d'Asti moscato in Westford?

CBC Liquors is at 142 Littleton Rd in Westford, open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Our shop holds 4,624 products from 1,893 brands, with a wine section you can browse and white wine pages for the lighter styles.

Bottles change from week to week, so the quickest way to find out whether a moscato is on the shelf is to ask at the counter or call ahead. If you want help choosing between sweet and dry, our note on how a Westford liquor store helps with wine choices explains how we go about it.

We offer pickup during store hours, and delivery and shipping as well. Delivery runs Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. Our delivery areas page lists the towns we serve, including Chelmsford, Acton and Littleton.

Our Google rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 339 reviews. If you are driving in from Carlisle, Billerica or Lowell, ask for a wine recommendation when you arrive and we will point you to what we have.