Vietti Moscato; Tickled pink for summer, by Huon Hooke

Light in alcohol and easy on the wallet, chilled moscato is the ideal drink on a warm day.

Moscato’s popularity in Australia is booming. But don’t make the mistake of thinking they are all much the same – there’s a vast gulf between the best and worst, the cheapest and dearest. And the gap is widening……

....Take Vietti, which I’ve always thought of as the Rolls-Royce (or should that be Ferrari?) of moscato.

This has a dreamy scent, which is muscaty, yes, but also a lot more; flowery and spicy and full of mysterious detail, and in the mouth it has a marvelously persistent effervescence, which balances a carefully determined sweetness and delicate, grapy fruitiness. The acidity is there, but it’s not shrill or assertive, like so m any local versions (which are probably acid adjusted, because the grapes are grown in regions that are too hot).

This is a wine that I could happily drink several glasses of as it is just so lip-smackingly moreish. And at 5.5 per cent alcohol (lower than many Australians), you can almost drink the whole bottle. Evan at $39, the quality justifies the outlay…..

Huon Hooke, The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 24 January 2012