Study and careerWhite grapes
Moscato: a friendly guide to the sweet one
Moscato d'Asti, Asti, pink Moscato, dry Muscat and the great sweet Muscats: what each one is, what they taste like, and how to serve and pair them.
Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier
Updated October 2026 · 3 min read · Edited with AI
This article may contain affiliate links.
On this page
The short answer: Moscato is the Italian name for Muscat, one of the oldest and most fragrant grape families. The wine most people mean by "Moscato" is light, sweet, gently sparkling and low in alcohol, with aromas of peach, orange blossom and fresh grapes. But the family is much bigger than that, and some of its wines are dry.
Why Moscato smells so much of grapes
Muscat grapes are rich in perfumed compounds called terpenes (linalool and geraniol among them), the same family that gives roses and orange blossom their scent. That is why Moscato is one of the few wines that actually smells of fresh grapes.
One family, many names
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: the finest, small-berried Muscat. In Italy, Moscato Bianco (the grape of Moscato d'Asti); in Spain, Moscatel de Grano Menudo; in Germany and Austria, Muskateller.
- Muscat of Alexandria: bigger berries, broader flavour. In Sicily it is Zibibbo; in Spain and Portugal, Moscatel.
- Muscat Ottonel: a gentler Muscat, grown in Alsace, Austria and eastern Europe.
- Coloured cousins: Moscato Giallo (yellow) and Moscato Rosa (pink) in Alto Adige, and the dark-skinned Muscat used for Rutherglen Muscat in Australia.
The styles of Moscato
| Style | What it is | Taste |
|---|---|---|
| Moscato d'Asti | Piedmont, Asti DOCG; lightly sparkling (frizzante) | Sweet, peach, orange blossom, very low alcohol |
| Asti | Same DOCG, fully sparkling (spumante) | Sweet and fizzier, a little stronger |
| Pink and red Moscato | Mostly commercial wines, Moscato blended with a little red grape | Sweet, berry and grape |
| Dry Muscat | Alsace (one of its Grand Cru grapes), Austria's Muskateller | Dry, the smell of grapes with the taste of a crisp white |
| Sweet fortified Muscat | Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Moscatel de Setúbal | Rich, honey, orange peel |
| Dried-grape Muscat | Passito di Pantelleria (Zibibbo) | Apricot, fig, honey |
| Rutherglen Muscat | Victoria, Australia; fortified and aged | Toffee, raisin, coffee, very sweet |
- Moscato d'Asti
- What it isPiedmont, Asti DOCG; lightly sparkling (frizzante)
- TasteSweet, peach, orange blossom, very low alcohol
- Asti
- What it isSame DOCG, fully sparkling (spumante)
- TasteSweet and fizzier, a little stronger
- Pink and red Moscato
- What it isMostly commercial wines, Moscato blended with a little red grape
- TasteSweet, berry and grape
- Dry Muscat
- What it isAlsace (one of its Grand Cru grapes), Austria's Muskateller
- TasteDry, the smell of grapes with the taste of a crisp white
- Sweet fortified Muscat
- What it isMuscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Moscatel de Setúbal
- TasteRich, honey, orange peel
- Dried-grape Muscat
- What it isPassito di Pantelleria (Zibibbo)
- TasteApricot, fig, honey
- Rutherglen Muscat
- What it isVictoria, Australia; fortified and aged
- TasteToffee, raisin, coffee, very sweet
Moscato d'Asti gets its sweetness and its gentle fizz the same way: the fermentation happens in a sealed tank and is stopped by chilling long before all the sugar turns into alcohol. More Italian sweet wines in Italian dessert wines.
What to eat with Moscato
- Fruit desserts: peach tart, fruit salad, panna cotta. Keep the dessert less sweet than the wine.
- Spicy food: a little sweetness and low alcohol calm chilli heat. Try Moscato d'Asti with Thai or Sichuan dishes.
- Salty and blue cheese: sweet against salty, the same logic as melon and ham.
- Brunch: pancakes with fruit, or simply strawberries.
- Fortified Muscats: with nut tarts, crème brûlée or blue cheese.
How to serve and store it
- Serve light Moscato fridge-cold, in a universal glass so you can smell the flowers. See the best wine glasses.
- Serve fortified Muscat a little cooler than room temperature.
- Drink Moscato d'Asti young. Its charm is fresh fruit, which fades with time. Buy the latest vintage.
- Store bottles lying down, somewhere cool and dark, away from the kitchen's heat.
- Once open, close the bottle with a sparkling-wine stopper and finish it within a day or two.
Want to understand where sweet ends and dry begins? Read wine sweetness levels, or meet the other whites in seven white grapes to know. Cheers, Alper.
Questions people ask
Is Moscato always sweet?
No. Most wines sold as Moscato are sweet, but dry Muscat from Alsace and dry Muskateller from Austria and Germany exist.
What is the difference between Moscato d'Asti and Asti?
Both come from the Asti DOCG in Piedmont. Moscato d'Asti is lightly sparkling and lower in alcohol; Asti is fully sparkling.
Is Moscato the same as Muscat?
Yes. Moscato is the Italian name for the Muscat family of grapes.
Should Moscato be served cold?
Light, sparkling Moscato is best fridge-cold. Rich fortified Muscats are better slightly warmer.
Your exam kit
Where to study for your exam
My book · AmazonSommelier Prep BookQuick questions and answers for a break at work.Order on Amazon 
My book · AmazonSommelier Level 1 Prep BookLevel 1's key topics in one small book you can carry anywhere.Order on Amazon SOMM DIGI built the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe’s Learning Portal, and SOMM DIGI AI. Who is behind this
For sommeliers · next steps