Moscato, or Muscat, is one of the oldest, if not THEE oldest wine grapes in the world. Moscato can be made in many different styles from bone dry to sparkling. For this Moscato food pairing, I’ll be focusing on sweeter styles of Moscato like California Moscato, Moscato d’Asti from Italy, and the very sweet Muscat styles from the old world. While drier styles of Muscat would work with these foods, it’s the sweetness of Moscato that really complements the dishes. The words Muscat and Moscato can be used interchangeably, each region and winery uses whichever one they feel suits their wine.
Where is Moscato from?
Although Moscato is most commonly associated with frizzante wines from Piedmont in Northern Italy (Moscato d’Asti, Asti being the village in Piedmont), it is grown almost everywhere worldwide. Recently sweet Moscato wines have dominated in California’s big wine companies like Gallo. But truth to be told, it is best from Mediterranean climates, where it thrives for centuries.
Did I say centuries? It may be closer to millennia. To give you an idea of Moscato’s legacy, let me ask you: how far back in wine history can your mind travel? Moscato is older. Much older! There is evidence that even ancient Egyptians made wine from Muscat grapes.
What does Moscato Smell and Taste like?
There is more than one reason why Moscato has been such a success throughout known wine history. The moment this famous wine touches your lips, you feel its strong scents of orange, peach, and tropical fruits. And that is just one side of the picture.
Moscato is also a floral wine that smells of rose, blossoms, and white flowers. And yet, the one thing that has most helped Moscato become so popular is no other than its sweetness. Its sweeter styles can even taste like peach juice, honey, and orange syrup. It is Muscat of Samos from the Greek island of Greece is believed to be the wine that was referred to as the nectar of the gods.
Characteristics of Moscato to Consider when Pairing Food
Although a sweet wine by its nature, Moscato is surprisingly low in alcohol. Moscato d’Asti is required to be ~5.5%, sweet styles from California can be about 9%-11%. For perspective, dry Muscat can hit 14% ABV. If you need a crash course on what makes wine sweet and how it affects alcohol levels, I’ve outline it really well here. Since we’re dealing with sweeter styles for this Moscato Food Pairing Guide, the sweetness will play a big role in what foods pair best. Other factors to consider when pairing food with Moscato is that it is very fruity, light-bodied to medium bodied, and has medium acidity.
Moscato Food Pairing List
Here’s everything you need to know to make your Moscato taste even better and elevate your meal. I’ve broken it down by category- appetizers, meat, poultry, cheese pairing with Moscato, and of course, desserts.
Appetizers for Moscato
If you want a snack or something light to go with your glass of Moscato, salty chips and nuts are excellent appetizers. For something more unique, prepare a spicy rollup or a soft light cheese. In any case, you will notice how well Muscato pairs with salty food. Even a simple bruschetta can go a long way to complement it.
Salad Pairing with Moscato
Since Moscato is a fruity wine with rich aromas, you will love how it pairs with salads that have fruit in them. Don’t hesitate to go wild in the fruit selection anything from strawberries to apples to raisins will do. Now this could be a simple glass of Moscato d’Asti or a sweet California style. Try it with a spinach and goat cheese salad with strawberries or if you want something that pops, try a Belgian endive salad with blue cheese and pears. The combo is just magic!
Pizza and Moscato
Our friends in Italy have blessed us with pizza, and it would be a shame to not try an authentic Italian pizza with Moscato. But you don’t need to follow the traditional path; feel free to experiment. Try it with a BBQ chicken pizza or even a Hawaiian pizza for a change. More wine and pizza pairings here.
Moscato Food Pairing with Seafood and Fish
The salty taste of seafood makes it an excellent partner to light and sweet Moscato. But if you are after perfection, make sure to add a sense of spiciness to your dish. For that reason, spicy sushi rolls or fish tacos are great options to pair with Moscato. And that is also true for blackened salmon – my personal favorite! Shrimp fra diavola is an amazing pairing with Moscato, too. I’ve personally never tried this but I feel like Moscato would be awesome with spicy Portuguese fish chowder or even paella.
Pork Dishes that Pair with Moscato
If you are a meat lover, you have every reason to accompany Moscato with your favorite meal. But to make the wine taste even better, some meat dishes pair best with Moscato. Seared pork belly and honey glazed are just two of them.
If you want my advice, try Moscato with pork chops and mango salsa, see that fruit elements works so well. So so yummy. Oh god. I just got hungry again!
Chicken Dishes Matched with Moscato
Chicken is light, Moscato is light. Chicken is white, Moscato is white. I mean, it’s all too perfect. Moscato is great with chicken salad or a salad with grilled chicken. Chicken teriyaki skewers are awesome with Moscato. Honey-glazed chicken, buffalo chicken wings, General Tso chicken, like I can go on and on. If it has spice or has fruit, your chicken dish will likely pair with Moscato.
Vegetarian Dishes that Pair with Moscato
I cannot overstate how well Moscato pairs with vegetarian or vegan dishes. Indian and Thai cuisines are two cuisine examples, partially thanks to the use of spices as well.
But you don’t need to make it to complicated to match vegetarian food with Moscato; just bake the vegetables you find in your kitchen. The secret is adding enough spices and additions like ginger or basil.
Try these as well:
- Pasta with pesto sauce
- Spicy bean burgers
- Tofu stir fry
- Chickpea curry
- Buffalo cauliflower
Moscato with fruit
I think you’ve gotten the clue by now, but the key to a successful Moscato food pairing is the element of fruit. No matter the ingredients, fruit salads or tarts will always pair great with Moscato. Strawberries and Moscato d’Asti is a personal favorite. If these sound too healthy for you, here’s a solution: try strawberries dipped in chocolate! What a dream! Choose a bitter chocolate. You don’t want the food to be sweeter than the wine.
Moscato Cheese Pairing
Blue cheese: you will love blue cheese for its saltiness and pungency that pairs great with Moscato.
Goat cheese: this mild and earthy wine complements the fruity flavors of Moscato.
Pepperjack cheese: the spicy flavor of this soft cheese makes it a great match to Moscato.
Fruit-infused cheeses: because Moscato is an aromatic, fruity wine, any fruit-infused cheese will make an excellent match.
Baked Brie with cranberry sauce: the creamy and buttery Brie cheese matches Moscato well, especially if combined with a cranberry sauce. I make this every Thanksgiving.
Spicy foods with Moscato
If there is one food category that Moscato really shines, that is no other than spicy food. The sweetness and low alcohol of Moscato calm down and complement the spice. Here are five of my top recommendations to pair spicy food with Moscato:
Moscato d’Asti with Mexican food: Moscato d’Asti is frizzante, which means it’s semi-sparkling. The bubbles help cleanse the palate and make an excellent match to Mexican food, particularly greasier dishes.
Moscato with Indian food: the spicy Indian curries and chilies from India greatly complement the sweetness of Moscato. I usually order a few different dishes and appetizers and Moscato seems to go with most of them. A few favorites are Moscato with Chicken vindaloo, vegetable korma, and red lentil dal.
Moscato with Sichuan dishes: known for its hot and spicy flavor, this Chinese cuisine will make you crave that Moscato sweetness in no time!
Moscato with Thai food: pair Moscato with chilly Pad Thai, and your palate will be grateful! Other Thai dishes I love with Moscato are Som Tam (Spicy Green Papaya Salad), Yam Pla Dook Foo (Fried Catfish with Green Mango Salad), and Shrimp Khao Pad (Fried Rice).
Moscato with spiced chicken wings: you don’t need to cook anything too delicate to enjoy Moscato. Something as simple as baked spiced chicken wings will do the trick. Buffalo sauce and Moscato were basically made for each other.
Moscato with Desserts
Apple pie: the bright flavor of apples guarantees a great match with Moscato.
Peach cobbler: Moscato’s peach aromas mean it can side well with desserts such as peach cobblers.
Ice cream: Although you should always make sure the wine is sweeter than the food, Moscato is one of the few wines that pair with ice cream.
Baklava and Siropiasta: these layer pastry desserts contain nuts and honey. Although rather sweet, they can pair well with Moscato especially Muscat of Samos.
Serving Suggestions for Moscato
No matter your food choice, remember to always serve Moscato in a universal white wine glass. Very sweet doux styles can be served in a dessert glass. But before you do, make sure the wine is cold; the taste is so much better. When it comes to aging, better avoid it. Moscato is not meant to sit for a long time on your shelves.
As a rule of thumb, if you bought it for under ten bucks, you need to drink it within a year, or the aromas will go away. Yet, if you purchased a doux or a sweeter style of Moscato, such as Muscat of Samos, rest assured that the wine can age beautifully for years.
Frequently Asked Questions about Moscato Food Pairing
What snack goes with Moscato?
Any salty snack will pair great with Moscato. The salty elements will offset the sweetness of Moscato and won’t be long till you wish you had more wine. You can also side Moscato with fruits, roasted nuts, or Prosciutto.
What dessert goes well with Moscato?
Fruit or creamy desserts make excellent companions to Moscato. If you try the sweeter styles, feel free to pick heavier desserts as long as the wine remains the sweeter of the two.
Is Moscato a dessert wine?
Yes and no. Can Moscato be made into a dessert wine? Yes, and it’s excellent. Is Moscato always sweet, definitely not. A lot of Moscato, or Muscat can be bone dry. Check the alcohol level, that will usually indicate if a Moscato is sweet or dry.