LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2022

BUBBLES Mighty Muscat!

TheMuscat family of grapes holds a special place in the world of sweet and fortified wines. Human ingenuity has been taxed to the limit in trying to capture the unique, elusive flavour of fresh Muscat grapes but the results are almost always sensational. From France we have fortified vins doux naturels such as Muscat de Beaume de Venise andMuscat de Rivesaltes. Greece gives us the golden Muscat of Samos, which Lord Byron relished, and Portugal has intense, spicy, oak agedMoscatel de Setúbal. Moscato di Pantelleria come from a parched Italian island close to Tunisia, where the grape glories in the local name of Zibibbo, while the greatest Australian “stickies” are the Liqueur Muscats of Rutherglen in Victoria. Many of these treasures show up in VINTAGES releases from time to time and are well worth pursuing. Meanwhile, some other Muscat-based wines are currently available, including two with bubbles….

MOSCATO D’ASTI › Not to be confused with Asti Spumante, Moscato d’Asti is a delicate, frothy delight—sweet but not cloying—with only 5.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV). Beni di Batasiolo is a family firm in Italy’s Piedmont region that makes a wonderful example called Bosc D’la Rei (LCBO 277194, $18.00), which is as light as foam on the tongue. How does it taste? Like the echo of rose petals, honey, peach juice, orange blossom and pear nectar—like Muscat in other words. Chilled right down, there’s no better match for the panettone you receive at Christmastime and can’t find a use for. IN THE PINK › Barossa giant Jacob’s Creek produces Moscato in four styles—white or pink, spritzy or decidedly sparkling. The sparkling rosé (LCBO 445825, $14.00) somehow coaxes red-berry flavours from the grape, which combine with the pleasing sweetness and low alcohol (8% ABV) to make this a brunchtime favourite.

GLASSES FOR SWEET WINES Wine of any kind needs room in the glass for aromas to gather and concentrate. Old-fashioned sherry schooners or ornate liqueur glasses, filled to the brim, do nobody any favours. A small tulip-shaped glass, no more than half full, is the ideal vessel.

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