Tomasello Cranberry Moscato

Tomasello's Cranberry Moscato is a New Jersey fruit dessert wine that pairs a Moscato-style base with cranberry. The label points to a sweet, tart and juicy profile. Cranberry brings a bright red-fruit tang to the floral, grapey sweetness that Moscato usually has, so the sugar should read as fruit juice rather than syrup. Expect a light to medium body, very little tannin, and no real oak influence. Fruit wines like this are typically made to be fresh and vivid, so oak would only get in the way. The acidity from the cranberry is the main thing keeping the wine balanced, and the finish should be short to medium, with a tart-berry snap at the end. Serve it well chilled, around 40 to 45°F, which is cold enough to sharpen the tartness and keep the sweetness from feeling heavy. It does not need decanting. Pour it straight from the bottle into a standard white wine glass, or a small dessert wine glass if you want a smaller pour. A narrower bowl helps hold the berry and floral aromas. A flute also works if you want to keep it cold longer, though you give up some of the aroma. For food, the sweet-tart balance suits salty and rich dishes. Try it with brie or baked camembert, sharp white cheddar, goat cheese with a spoonful of preserves, or prosciutto-wrapped fruit. It also fits holiday tables, where it can stand in for cranberry sauce beside roast turkey, ham or pork, as long as the main dish isn't heavily spiced. Among desserts, plain cheesecake, shortbread, almond cake and vanilla panna cotta are good matches. Very sweet chocolate desserts would likely overwhelm it. A splash over ice with sparkling water or soda makes a light spritz, and the berry notes also work in a simple sangria with sliced citrus and apple. This is a drink-now bottle. Wines in this style are built around fresh fruit and acidity, and those fade with long cellaring, so don't plan on aging it. Once opened, recork or reseal it and keep it in the refrigerator, and plan to finish it within a few days to get the best flavor.