Unusual Pairings with Moscato

While it is sweet, bubbly, and easy to drink, it need not be dismissed as the juice box of adult beverages. Look past the dessert tray and dive into some eyebrow raising pairings, including one salty pantry staple.

Wine and fresh green vegetables with a glass of white wine on a white table. — Moscato d'Asti is one of the more versatile wines that can pair with desserts as well as savory and spicy foods.

A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane

Moscato is made from the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grape, which is arguably one of the oldest cultivated grapes in the world.

Dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, it is grown everywhere from Australia to France but found its fame in the Piedmont region of Italy where the low-alcohol, lightly sparkling style known as frizzante was refined. The most famous DOC/DOCG region for production is Asti, hence you will see them labeled as Moscato d'Asti.

Originally winemakers made this low alcohol wine for themselves because it could be drunk at lunch before heading back to the vineyards without falling over.

Typical tasting notes include orange blossom, honeysuckle, Meyer lemon, and ripe pear. It can range from slighlty to sickly sweet, always with the promise of a fragrant and floral bouquet of aroma.

Typical Moscato Pairings

Moscato’s high sugar content and low acidity make it a natural foil for specific flavors.

Fresh Fruit and Tarts: Match the sweetness with ripe strawberries, peaches, and fruit-based desserts.
Creamy Cheeses: Contrast with sweetness with pungent Gorgonzolas or buttery Bries.
Spicy Thai or Vietnamese Food: The sugar in the wine acts like a fire extinguisher for chili heat.
Charcuterie: Prosciutto and melon is the classic pairing, but the wine works just as well with salty ham alone to refresh a parched palate.

Not your typical Moscato pairings

If you want to test your palate, move away from the fruit plate try using Moscato's sweetness as a bridge for more savory and even fermented flavors.

1. Soy Sauce (The Umami Bomb)

Delicious poached chicken topped with garlic, herbs, and fresh cilantro, served with sautéed black f. — Tender poached chicken with a soy say sauce, green onion and cilantro dressing and spicy woodear mushroom salad actually makes a pleasing pairing with a slightly sweet and fizzy Moscato.

This one may get a negative reaction until you actually try it. When you pair a sweet Moscato with something heavy in soy sauce, like a soy-glazed salmon or dipping sushi, the saltiness of the sauce make the fruit notes in the wine explode. The sugar in the wine rounds out the fermented funk of the soy, creating an ideal umami balance like salted caramel or teriyaki sauce.

2. Spicy Fried Chicken

The grease, salt, and crunch of fried chicken pair exceedingly well with the bubbles in a Champagne as well as a Moscato. If there is a little cayenne in the breading, the sweetness in the Moscato makes the pairing just that much better.

3. Salt and Vinegar Chips

The aggressive acidity and salt of the chips are mellowed out by the floral sweetness of the wine making it a low cost "high-low" pairing.

4. Breakfast Burritos

Specifically, ones with spicy chorizo and/or nostril flaming salsas. The Moscato acts like a fancy replacement for orange juice, giving you citrusy notes while taming the spice of the chilis.

The Last Drop

Not everyone loves sweet wines, but it does offer opportunities for playful pairings and can be very effective with hard to pair foods. Moscato is one of the most famous sweet white wines that also has a little fizz that adds to the fun.