La Pigeade Muscat

La Pigeade Muscat is a Massachusetts-appellation wine from Esplanda, made from Muscat. The label gives no vintage, ABV, sweetness level or vinification details, so the profile below describes what Muscat usually delivers. It is not a measured analysis of this bottle. Muscat is one of the most aromatic wine grapes. Expect a nose of orange blossom, peach, lychee and honeysuckle, often with a touch of grape and citrus zest. Styles like this are usually light to medium in body, with low tannin because the grapes are white, and bright acidity that keeps the fruit from tasting heavy. Oak is rarely a factor with Muscat, so expect a clean, fruit-driven wine with a floral finish of moderate length. Whether the wine is dry, off-dry or sweet changes how you pair it, so check the bottle's technical sheet or label if the sweetness matters to you. Aromatic whites like this pair best with food that has some spice or salt. Thai or Vietnamese dishes, mild Indian curries, fresh-herb salads and sushi with ginger all work, because the wine's floral fruit cools heat and sweetens aromatics. Soft and blue cheeses, prosciutto with melon, and roasted pork with stone-fruit chutney are also good fits. If this bottle turns out to be sweeter, fruit tarts, almond pastries and lightly sweet cakes are better matches than rich chocolate, which can overpower Muscat's delicate perfume. Serve it well chilled, at about 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). Roughly two hours in the refrigerator, or 30 minutes in an ice bucket, is enough. Colder serving keeps the acidity crisp, and a slight warming in the glass lets the floral aromatics open up. Decanting is unnecessary. Pour it straight from the bottle into a standard white-wine glass or a slightly tapered aromatic-white glass, which concentrates the perfume toward the nose. Fill the glass about one-third full so there is room to swirl. Muscat from a Massachusetts appellation is generally made to drink young, while the fruit and floral lift are at their freshest. Plan to open it within a year or two of purchase rather than cellaring it. Once opened, recork it and keep it in the refrigerator, where it should hold its aroma for three to five days.