dessert wine

Ever since I was pleasantly surprised by Yellow Tail's latest wine, a well-priced Australian Moscato, the muscat grape has assumed the role of flavor of the month. Call it coincidence, but a few days later, I sampled Presto Moscato Dolce and fell hard for its flavor profile.

This Italian bottling isn't nearly as sweet (nor has the same intensity) as its Yellow Tail counterpart. Rather, it greets you with a light perfume of honeyed stone fruits and lots of effervescence. The finish, which is more off-dry than an extra dry sparkling wine, but not quite as sweet as Moscato d'Asti, isn't overly saccharine.

Presto Moscato Dolce's perfect for sipping solo, although I can't wait to try this at an outdoor concert, accompanied by brie, bread, and Summer fruit. Given that it's available nationwide at Whole Foods for around $10, I'm sure I'll be giving it another whirl soon. What's your favorite picnic wine?

What would you say is the fastest-growing grape in the country? If you guessed Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, or any of the other usual suspects, you're wrong. The answer's muscat, the sweetly fragranced grape that's often the bane of any drinker who's sworn off sweet wines.

That's right: according to AC Nielsen, muscat is the fastest-growing grape variety in the United States, and even global brands like Yellow Tail have caught on. The Australian wine company's newest label is its 2011 Moscato. As a longtime moscato d'asti lover, but a recent critter wine skeptic, I wasn't sure what to expect. The results were pleasantly surprising.

The wine, while relatively straightforward, managed to be incredibly peachy and floral without tasting soapy, then had a nice level of acidity and a small amount of effervescence to balance out the body and sweetness. "It'd be wonderful with sorbet," one taster commented. I instantly envisioned serving it in a Champagne coupe with a just-frozen-enough scoop of pear sorbet on top. For $6.99, you can't find a better value in this category. Muscat lovers: what's your favorite moscato frizzante?

One bottle that stood out amongst the rest at the New York Wine and Food Festival was the 2009 Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz. It was unlike anything else I've sipped before. It's a sweet red wine that's very different from a Port. It's not syrupy or thick, but smooth, full-bodied, and very fruity. The knowledgeable gentleman at the Drink South African table (the grapes are grown in South Africa's Paarl region) informed me that Jam Jar is best served slightly chilled. I couldn't agree more, the cold red was refreshing and perfectly balanced with neither too much sweetness or acidity. Jam Jar pairs wonderfully with dark chocolate, so if you are a fan of red wine and chocolate, I highly recommend this lovely Shiraz!

Despite the fact that many guests in Aspen had a chance to hit up the tasting tent five times, the last 30 minutes of the last Grand Tasting on Sunday rapidly deteriorated into a crowded, debaucherous food and wine free-for-all. In the midst of it all, we stumbled upon an Australian wine table that had been completely abandoned: there the whites and rosés sat, on ice, ready to be enjoyed, but there was no one there to pour them. It was as though the whole wine team suddenly took off, afraid they would miss their 15-hour flights back to Australia.
As the old adage goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. While we still had the time, we dug into quite a few varietals. The most beautiful to stare at and to drink turned out to be the 2009 Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato ($10 for 375 ml) from Victoria, Australia. I've long loved the sparkle of a good Moscato d'Asti, but I'd never before come across a sparkling pink Moscato. The combination of Muscat Alexandria and Black Muscat contribute to the ballet slipper hue, and the wine is wildly easy to drink, with a floral-spicy perfume, red fruit flavor, and long, lingering, well-rounded finish. I can't wait to seek it out here in San Francisco. Have you ever had a sparkling pink Muscat?

If you're looking to expand your wine horizons, you might want to consider a light dessert wine called Muscat. A white grape varietal that's grown all over the world in wine-making regions from South Africa to Serbia, the Muscat grape is known for its highly perfumed floral aroma. Typically speaking, Muscats are fortified wines with moderate sweetness and a slight effervescence.

One Muscat I recommend is Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi's 2008 Moscato. At just $8, this is a great bottle to start with. The grapes are grown in California, and the liquid is pale yellow with a fruity flavor and silky finish; the bouquet has notes of honey and orange. This lush white is enjoyable alone after dinner, paired with flaky pastry desserts, or with cheese and fruit.

Have you ever sipped Muscat? What's your favorite bottle?

Everyone has different holiday traditions. One of mine, apparently, is becoming obsessed with a festive and seasonal cocktail recipe. Last year I was all about sparkling Shiraz punch. The December before I went gaga for a cranberry-amaretto kiss. 2009's beverage of choice? This sparkling pomegranate punch! It has all the necessary elements of a fabulous holiday drink. It's vibrantly colored, serves a crowd, and incorporates sparkling wine. It's a refreshing, delightful punch that's not to sweet but simply wonderful. Don't skip the pomegranate seed garnish; they are like floating jewels. To check out the recipe, read more

While hosting a spur-of-the-moment dinner two nights ago, I wanted something sweet to end our meal, so I invited my guests to enjoy a glass of liquid dessert: Quady Elysium ($15.99), made with black muscat grapes.

The concentrated, blackberry-hued wine is rich with both floral and fruity flavors, so I enjoyed it in little sips. Because it's so intensely sweet and full-bodied, it's easy to overlook the alcohol content. Although it's detectable on the nose, I was surprised to find it was 15 percent alcohol, and had to pace myself! The winery also recommends enjoying it on ice with equal parts tonic water and wine, with a squeeze of lemon — something I fully intend to try next time I want a sweet sip that won't get me sloshed.

I've been hooked on stickies made by Quady Winery, a Central California-based producer that specializes in fortified wines, ever since I sampled its other dessert wine, Electra. Have you ever enjoyed Elysium or Quady's other dessert wines?