Barefoot Moscato 200m

Four 200 ml bottles add up to 800 ml, a little more than a standard 750 ml bottle. The single-serve size means you open only what you plan to drink and don't have to re-cork a bottle. The name identifies the wine as Moscato, a grape that is almost always made into a sweet, aromatic, lightly fizzy or softly sparkling wine. Wines in this style usually show peach, apricot, orange blossom and ripe grape on the nose, and they often taste like the fruit smells. Expect a light body, very little tannin, and no oak influence at all. Moscato is typically bottled at a low alcohol level, often somewhere between 5 and 9 percent, but check the label for this bottle's exact figure. The sweetness is the main thing to plan around. Styles like this usually carry moderate acidity, enough to keep the sugar from feeling heavy, and a short, juicy finish that fades quickly rather than lingering. Chilling it well helps the freshness come through, so serve it between about 38 and 45°F, straight from the refrigerator or after an hour in an ice bucket. Decanting does nothing for a wine like this and can flatten any light spritz, so open it and pour. Moscato does well with food that has some heat or salt to balance the sweetness. Spicy Thai or Szechuan dishes, fresh fruit and soft cheeses, prosciutto with melon, and fruit tarts or shortbread are all good matches. It can also serve as the dessert itself, alongside a plain sponge cake or a bowl of berries. Avoid pairing it with dishes sweeter than the wine, because the wine will taste thin and sour next to them. For glassware, a small white wine glass or a flute works well, since the narrower opening holds the floral aromas and any gentle bubbles. The 200 ml bottles are also convenient to pour into two small glasses. This is a drink-now wine. Moscato is made for freshness, not aging, and the fruit and aroma are best in the first year or so after bottling. Keep the bottles cool and out of direct light until you chill them.