Muscat. Lasting Trend or Novelty Act? W. BLAKE GRAY, CWP Sommelier Journal. May not be distributed without permission.

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1 Muscat Lasting Trend or Novelty Act? W. BLAKE GRAY, CWP Y 82 July 15, 2012

2 Moscato d Asti grapes (left); Gérard Bertrand vineyards at Château l Hospitalet in Narbonne, France. Photos courtesy of Azienda Agricola Paolo Saracco (previous page), Gérard Bertrand Sommelier Journal 83

3 What s in a Name? The Vietti family (top), vineyards (middle), and cellar (above) in Castiglione Falletto, Italy; Vietti winemaker Luca Currado (right). Photos courtesy of Vietti s.r.l. 84 July 15, 2012

Dalla Terra Winery Direct chairman Brian Larky (below); Bonny Doon Vineyard winemaker Randall Grahm (middle) and Santa Cruz, Calif., vineyards (bottom).

mineral, this wine offers floral notes on the nose and taut stone fruits on the palate, with a hint of bitterness in the finish. Best enjoyed with food, especially shellfish. 12.7% alcohol.

thanks to some minerality on the midpalate and a slightly bitter note on the finish. 10% alcohol gives this bottling its name.

Fortunately, it s also the best dry Muscat in California, containing fruit from both Napa Valley and Paso Robles. The aroma is complex: dried flowers, earth, and dried apricot.

4 Dalla Terra Winery Direct chairman Brian Larky (below); Bonny Doon Vineyard winemaker Randall Grahm (middle) and Santa Cruz, Calif., vineyards (bottom). Photo by Greg Gorman (top); photos courtesy of Bonny Doon Vineyard (middle, bottom) Dry Muscats Bonny Doon Vineyard Muscat Ca del Solo Estate, Monterey, California 2009 $18 Crisp and surprisingly mineral, this wine offers floral notes on the nose and taut stone fruits on the palate, with a hint of bitterness in the finish. Best enjoyed with food, especially shellfish. 12.7% alcohol. Gérard Bertrand Muscat Vin de Pays d Oc 10, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2010 $12 Clean aromas of peach and apple announce a fruity, pleasant wine that works better with food than as an aperitif, thanks to some minerality on the midpalate and a slightly bitter note on the finish. 10% alcohol gives this bottling its name. La Sirena Moscato Azul, Napa Valley, California 2011 $30 Celebrity winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett makes one of the most expensive dry Muscats in the world. Fortunately, it s also the best dry Muscat in California, containing fruit from both Napa Valley and Paso Robles. The aroma is complex: dried flowers, earth, and dried apricot. The taste is clean, with flavors of apricot and lime; the precise finish offers just a hint of bitterness. Beautiful blue bottle and all, this is an upscale winner. 12% alcohol. Trimbach Muscat Reserve, Alsace, France 2009 $17 Ginger jumps out immediately from a nose that is more mineral than fruity. Although there are some floral notes, a spicy overtone clearly identifies this as a Trimbach product. It tastes of green plum and underripe nectarine; the dry finish makes it a good candidate for food pairing. 12.5% alcohol. Sweet Sparkling Moscatos Cameron Hughes Moscato d Asti Lot 311, Italy 2011 $14 An anonymous Italian vintner makes this pretty wine for San Francisco-based négociant Cameron Hughes. The nose combines light floral aromas with litchi, which lingers on the palate along with notes of apple and honey. The fizz is sufficient to carry what seems to be more residual sugar than is typical of Italian production. 7% alcohol. Golan Moscato, Galilee, Israel 2011 $14 A lovely, delicate Israeli wine featuring mild floral notes, white-peach flavors, and a light bead. Fairly sweet but balanced, it s an interesting alternative for enophiles who keep kosher. 6% alcohol. Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro, California 2010 $13 An American alternative to Moscato d Asti (as the brand name suggests), this Californian is fruit forward and floral on the nose, with a juicier mouthfeel and sparser bubbles than are found in its Italian counterparts. 7.5% alcohol. Saracco Moscato d Asti, Italy 2011 $14 The aroma of jasmine and rose is rather faint, but this wine is lovely in the mouth: light bodied, with ample acidity and a pleasant fizz, it offers notes of violets and white peach. 6% alcohol. Vietti Moscato d Asti Cascinetta, Italy 2011 $14 Vietti s pretty floral aroma is just what you want from Moscato honeysuckle and rose petals backed by litchi and a hint of lime. The wine is light and sweet on the palate, which offers more litchi and a slightly sugary finish. A comely label completes the package. 5.5% alcohol. Sommelier Journal 85

5 Marchesi di Grésy vineyard in Martinenga, Italy (above); Heidi Peterson Barrett of La Sirena in Calistoga, Calif. (bottom). Narrowing the Field Photos courtesy of Marchesi di Grésy, (top), La Sirena (bottom) 86 July 15, 2012

Saracco vineyards in Castiglione Tinella, Italy (top left); Paolo Saracco (above); Trimbach estate in Ribeauvillé, France (middle left).

Trimbach (middle) Azienda Agricola Paolo Saracco Via Circonvallazione, 6 12053 Castiglione Tinella, Italy +39-141-855113 www.paolosaracco.it Importer: Dalla Terra Winery Direct www.

San Francisco, CA 94103 (800) 805-1971 www.chwine.com F.E. Trimbach 15 Route de Bergheim 68150 Ribeauvillé, France +33-389-736030 www.maison-trimbach.

gerardbertrandwines. com Golan Heights Winery Ltd. P.O. Box 183 12900 Katzrin, Israel +972-4-696-8420 www.golanwines.co.il Importer: Yarden Inc. www.yardenwines.com La Sirena P.O. Box 441 Calistoga, CA 94515 (707) 942-1105 www.

6 Saracco vineyards in Castiglione Tinella, Italy (top left); Paolo Saracco (above); Trimbach estate in Ribeauvillé, France (middle left). Photos courtesy of Azienda Agricola Paolo Saracco (top), F.E. Trimbach (middle) Azienda Agricola Paolo Saracco Via Circonvallazione, Castiglione Tinella, Italy Importer: Dalla Terra Winery Direct Bonny Doon Vineyard 328 Ingalls St. Santa Cruz, CA (831) com Cameron Hughes Wine 251 Rhode Island St. San Francisco, CA (800) F.E. Trimbach 15 Route de Bergheim Ribeauvillé, France Importer: Esprit du Vin, Palm Bay International Gérard Bertrand Château de l Hospitalet Route de Narbonne Plage, B.P Narbonne Cedex, France (954) Importer: Gérard Bertrand Wines com Golan Heights Winery Ltd. P.O. Box Katzrin, Israel Importer: Yarden Inc. La Sirena P.O. Box 441 Calistoga, CA (707) Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro 8418 S. Lac Jac Ave. Parlier, CA (559) Vietti s.r.l. Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Castiglione Falletto, Italy Importer: Dalla Terra Winery Direct Sommelier Journal 87

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