The sweet truth about sparkling wine: why there's no need to be ashamed of your love of Moscato and Demi-Sec

The longer I've been involved in wine, the more interesting it becomes to dispel all sorts of wine stereotypes: red to meat, sparkling wine to oysters and other wine prejudices. They often narrow our horizons and limit our choices so much that one can go through life without tasting a sweet ice-cold Asti with truffle chips. But trends are changing.

Did you know that today's cult of brut and extra brut is a relatively recent phenomenon? In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the world drank sparkling wine exclusively sweet. And for the Russian Empire it was made especially sweet: added up to 300 grams of sugar per liter. This was called the "Russian style."

The first attempts to make sparkling wine dry came in the middle of the 19th century. It was a kind of revolution of taste. Initially, the new style was met with hostility: "too sour", "incomprehensible", "hard". But then came the trend for slimness, gastronomy, acidity and asceticism, and dry styles became fashionable and then the norm.

That's how sweet sparkling wine fell by the wayside. At best - in the dessert category. At worst, they began to be regarded as a wine "not for connoisseurs".

Today, sweet sparkling wine makes Italy - a symbol of lightness of being. Even if we talk about the classic and universally understood Prosecco, the most popular level of sweetness is extra-dry, i.e. up to 16 grams of sugar per liter. That's quite a lot - 3 teaspoons.

However, the most obvious sweet Italian hero is Moscato d'Asti DOCG. The mildly alcoholic wine - usually around 5% - is incredibly aromatic, with notes of flowers, honey, sage and white peach. It's made by intermittent fermentation - this is when the fermentation process stops before the sugar is fully converted into alcohol. The result is sweet but lively;

Scapra Moscato d'Asti is  a small family winery from Piedmont, which I discovered recently and decided to present at the tasting. The wine was amazing: no sticky sweetness, instead just precise balance, green herbs, flowers, and the feeling of drinking a spring garden. Especially important in my opinion is to chill it thoroughly - up to 5 degrees.

Among the classics of the genre one cannot fail to mention Paolo Saracco. This is a cult name in the world of Moscato. Their wines are exported to more than 60 countries, yet they remain vibrant and "alive".

And if you want something more unusual, try Bisson Moscato Spumante from Liguria. An almost mythical wine: organic, subtle, with citrus and salt on the finish. It's not easy to find outside Italy, but if you find yourself in Liguria, go straight to visit them.

Another colorful style is Asti Spumante. This is a sparkling wine made from Moscato Bianco grapes produced in the vicinity of Asti. Unlike the lighter Moscato d'Asti, Spumante has a richer texture, a pronounced sparkle and a strength of about 7-9%. The wine is just begging for fruit desserts, fruits and cream cheeses.

When it comes to the most refined and expensive example of Asti Spumante, it is definitely worth trying the Asti Spumante "La Selvatica" from Ca' d'Gal. 

This wine is produced in limited batches and is characterized by depth of flavor, fine balance of sweetness and acidity and complex aromas of white flowers, honey and exotic fruits.

Moving to France we are walking on thin ice. Demi-Sec (semi-sweet) champagne is an almost extinct category that is now coming back into fashion. It used to be served in the finest houses in Europe, but today it is increasingly seen on the menus of serious restaurants.

One of my favorite examples is the Billecart-Salmon Demi-Sec. Refined, with a slight creaminess, with notes of almonds, brioche, and white fruit. It can be drunk on its own or paired with Asian cuisine.

A special mention should be made of Clairette de Die, one of France's most romantic sparkling wines. Produced by the ancient method (méthode ancestrale or pét-nat), when fermentation is stopped and finished in the bottle without adding sugar. The result is a light, naturally sweet and slightly cloudy sparkling wine with a bright muscatel note. Perfect for a picnic or brunch.

When people talk about South Africa and sparkling wine, Cap Classique most often comes to mind. This is a wine made using the traditional Champagne method. Interestingly, demi-sec has become incredibly popular in recent years, precisely as an expression of a thirst for the brilliance of flavor, aroma and South African character.

I really like Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Satin Nectar (Demi-Sec) 

Simonsig are the pioneers of Cap Classique in South Africa, releasing their first sparkling wine back in 1971. Satin Nectar is their semi-sweet version - soft, fruity, with aromas of white flowers and honey notes.

The alternative is Kleine Zalze. This winery has released two demi-sec sparkling wines, Cape Nectar Blanc and Cape Nectar Rosé. The former is a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, while the latter is more velvety, with a rosé sunniness. Both are aged on yeast for 48 months, which gives them structure and depth, while the sugars - around 42g/l - make the style full-bodied but without cloying sweetness. 

You don't have to drink demi-sec every day, but to not try a good Moscato d'Asti at least once in a while is to deprive yourself of the novelty of the experience or... that nice and slightly nostalgic opportunity... to shake the old days.

And if you serve sweet cool sparkling with blue mold cheese or shrimp with wasabi, you can suddenly revise your views on sparkling;

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor