I recently wrote a wine piece for an online mag where my assignment was to pair a wine with a book they had already chosen and reviewed: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Further, the book reviewer had offered up a recipe of sweet meringue cookies called Marguerites. Many thanks to www.Vinquire.com for help in finding a wine that U.S. and Canadian readers can easily access.
Here's the piece:
During a period of darkness and gloom, we all seek some sort of escape, something cheery, light, and fun. Right? And if when we find that something, it appears much more sophisticated and complex than it really is, then life is sweetened just a touch by our dodge, isn’t it?
Welcome Mionetto’s Il Moscato, one of Italy’s sweet little sparklers, and the perfect sipper while reading “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Moscato (also known as muscat or muscadel) is one of the oldest grapes known to winemakers and often produces a still wine considered quite ordinary. But when Italian vintners take this grape and turn it into a frizzante wine that is light-bodied, sweet, and fruity, with gentle bubbles that give off a refreshing little tingle, it becomes something more than ordinary, drawing people together to celebrate their every day.
Il Moscato, widely available throughout the U.S. and Canada and priced anywhere from $8.99 to $18.99 for the 750ml bottle, proves true to its varietal. This pale yellow sparkling wine is extremely fragrant, with floral, musky, grape, and peach notes, and just a hint of something I’d describe as lemon meringue pie. Topped off using the beer-bottle-style crown cap typical to the regions that produce this wine, you never have to worry about popping corks.
I recently took the Il Moscato to a dinner party and at dessert I paired it with one-bite meringue cookies—perfect! Both the cookies and wine were light, sweet, and airy. You may want to try lemon tarts, a fruit tray, or biscotti with the Il Moscato.
Quick Wine Notes:
Frizzante is an Italian term used to describe the sort of light bubble found in moscato and prosecco wines. It is a gentler bubble than spumante. In France, they refer to the style as pétillant.
Varietal refers to the particular type of grape. For example, moscato and prosecco are varietals, as are chardonnay and zinfandel.
When serving wine with dessert, make sure your wine is as sweet as or slightly sweeter than your goodies. A wine that is too dry—not sweet enough—will seem sour and disappoint you.
Salut!
Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.
