Ginger-Lime Shrimp Salad and Moscato Allegro

2010 Moscato Allegro

2010 Moscato Allegro ($10)

It seems America’s sweet tooth is returning to the wine arena.  That works for me, especially when we’re talking the Muscat grape. Small berried and golden, Muscat Canelli is desired for its intoxicating aromatics and ripeness.  It’s a wine that has the unique characteristic of smelling and tasting just like the grapes.  Think… a chubby glass of delicious summer.

The 2010 Moscato Allegro is a fat sip of orange soda, honey and vanilla cream flavors; yet somehow the winemaker crafted all this into a lighter bodied wine. Not cloying, not sticky sweet. Someone also had their thinking cap on when they decided on a screw top closure  for this wine.  Simply grab the bottle for your next picnic or patio function. No worries on where the darn opener went.

Many of us still purchase wine based on the beauty of the bottle.  You’re going to love the traditional, long and sleek ‘Renna Punto’ bottle used only for the finest Moscato d’Asti.  Makes a great hostess gift. And while we’re at it the label is engaging as well.  Smart marketing award to the producers of this wine.

For the more technical amongst us, Winemaker Mark Rasmussen  tells us that he employs a combination of extremely cold and prematurely arrested fermentations to balance the varietal’s honeyed fruit notes with clean, crisp acids – producing a wine that, while lushly flavored, is light in body and refreshing on the palate. The Muscat Canelli grapes for this wine were  grown at Cairn Ranch, a 40-acre vineyard site located along the St. John’s River in southern San Joaquin Valley where  rich, fertile soils, combine with warm weather, create ideal conditions for promoting fully ripened flavors in balance with good acid structure. This is a 100% Muscat/Moscato wine with a light 7.5% alcohol level.  40,000 cases were made.  This is a drink it now wine.  Probably not a wine to cellar.

Serve as an aperitif, pair with your favorite foods or enjoy all by itself — the possibilities are as endless as your own palate and imagination. You can expect the ’10 vintage to be fat, fresh and spicy, offering exotic floral and fruit aromas evocative of orange peel, honeyed apricots and peaches.  It’s a versatile beauty , working well with  a hot day or a cold night. It is delightfully refreshing on its own (patio time, Jacuzzi, sipping with a good book) but also makes a wonderful complement to brunch, Asian food, spicy dishes, light but zesty salads and sweet and tangy sauces.

Ginger-Lime Shrimp Salad   CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE
Recipe adapted from Chris Newsome, Ollie Irene Restaurant , Mountain Brook, AL

Ginger-Lime Shrimp Salad

 

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