Ecco Domani Moscato 2011

Varietal:  Moscato di Canelli; Moscato Giallo
Region:   Italy
Cost:  $14 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Lovely aromas of peach, apricot, and mandarin orange entice the nose, while the slightly off-dry palate has bright acidity to make this wine so refreshing. Pairs well with seafood, pasta, mild cheeses, or even fruit based desserts.

My Review:  When I was approached about reviewing this wine I’ll admit there was a moments hesitation – I don’t normally go for sweeter wines. That being said, Ecco Domani does have a bit of a soft spot in my heart since it’s one of the first wines I was able to get my wife to drink that wasn’t an insanely sweet Riesling. The contradiction of that statement and this wine is not lost on me. So on a recent warm June day here in Virginia, the wife and I opened up the bottle to see what we thought while sitting on the deck with some dinner.

On the nose I got the advertised peach aromas, with a bit of orange blossom as well. In the mouth I got mostly honey, and there’s no denying that this wine is sweet, but what saves it from being syrupy is a touch of effervescence on the finish that throws some bubbles in your mouth and keeps it from being coated in the honey flavor. We paired the wine with a dinner of white bean and chicken chili (a new recipe), and I appreciated the bit of sweetness to cut through some of the heat of the food.

I’m not going to go so far as to call this a new favorite that will be living on my shelves, but I’d also not discount it if you eat a lot of spicy foods, such as Thai, as the sweetness will provide a nice counter to the heat of the dishes you’re likely to be consuming. It’s not a bad value, and truth be told you’ll probably be able to find the wine for less at most of your local stores, but if you’re one that doesn’t enjoy sweet wines either pass on this one or be sure to try it with something spicy.