~14US, 100% Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy

Moscato d’Asti gets maligned as a syrupy-sweet bubbly brunch wine. I can’t say that I drink much of it - but this example bucks the trend and reveals a more serious (and seriously delicious) wine.

It poured clear and bubbly - like Crystal Pepsi - but the nose was filled with light floral and peach aromas. A little Mister Bubble soapiness popped up too. Light, sparkling, and effervescent on the palace, with a decent amount of sweetness -  but nothing out of whack in terms of acidic balance.

Short finish but overall a clean, pretty wine that would serve well as an aperitif, or lighter digestif. It may even pair well with some hard cheeses. It’s not going to change the world, but it will change some folks’ impression of Moscato d’Asti.

2 very interesting wines in the sub-$12 range. Both sort of one-trick-ponies, but the tricks were distinctive and cool. The Zantho was light bodied but almost overwhelmingly lemony and piney - aromatically and on the palate. Very purfumed. Mineral / stoniness comes across as a supporting role from nose to finish. Pine Sol exactly. Bone dry. Fresh, bright acidity means this would pair great with shellfish and seafood. Interestingly, I left this in the decanter overnight to taste in the morning - and it tasted even better?! The acidity integrated and the wine overall was a little plumper and softer. I’d love to see what a dry Muscat tastes like after 15 years in the cellar…anyone have that opportunity?

The Riondo Prosecco was all about Banana Now-and-Laters (my wife pinpointed this - thanks m) and white balsamic vinegar. Tiny bubbles filled the palate, with a very light and ethereal body. Refreshing and probably better before dinner than with the Thai and Sushi we enjoyed (which wasn’t a bad match by any means). This is quite dry, but I did detect a slight residual sugar to keep it drinkable and balance the acidity. Fun and cheap - everyone should have a bottle on hand for nights when champagne might be too opulent, and beer doesn’t suit the mood.

~$32US, 50% Muscat / 50% Viognier, Cotes de Catalanes, SW France

Ok - I will start by saying that I’ve never tasted anything like this - wine or otherwise. Rich golden color. Popped and sniffed and was utterly confused. Cheap corn oil, sulfur, The Holland tunnel exhaust fans, and pears. I was prepared for some funkiness, but this was insane - very little here resembling a beverage made from fermented grapes. I decanted and came back an hour later. Still funky diesel and corn oil. After 2 hours, things starting fitting together better.

At 3 hours it really started singing. The funk blew off and integrated into a pleasant smoky undertone. Dried flowers and ginger with burned lemon components…like a lemon creme brulee, slightly over-torched. Weighty on the palate - the viognier component is oily and mouth-filling yet the impression is very fresh and vibrant. Well-balanced with a fresh bias towards acidity. Sipper-and-a-thinker. Fundamentally complex and multi-layered. Apple skins, mint, citrus explosions, fruit-wood smoke and lavender. The finish is where this really becomes Impressive $?*#! Wine in my opinion. It ties all the flavors into a lemony custard, with a defined chalky minerality and salinity. So long and smooth and effortless. Food matching might be difficult with this level of complexity - I suspect firm grilled fish and strong cheeses would pair well.

Truly unique - a bizarre transformation from something almost foul to something sublime. I think the decanting fast-forwarded what good honest cellar aging can do, so I hope to procure more of this - forget about it for a decade and see what happens. Not for the meek or the impatient. But for the rest, a gift, and a great example of old-school ‘zen winemaking’ yielding staggeringly complex wines. Less is more.