Here we go again for one more wine pairing adventure. This time, I am venturing into the fascinating world of Italian sparkling Muscat. Scary! I know.
What do I understand about dessert wines? Nothing. But I am reading a lot about it. And yes, we can do it. With a few mistakes now and then.
When I received this wine from Independent Wine, I wasn’t sure if I would be so keen on a quite sweet wine with a low alcohol content.
Plus, I knew I would have to be a bit more creative on facing the challenge of matching it with something that would be more exciting than a cheese board plate.
So, here is how I paired my Francone Antichi Poderi dei Gallina 2018| Sparkling Muscat | Moscato d’Asti DOCG to some fine food choices.
The Wine of my choice
Francone Antichi Poderi dei Gallina is made in Piemonte, Italy, a region well-known for its Muscat. The famous white grape is quite popular and sometimes, the winemakers goes a little bit over the border in flavours.
But you know what? Mario Francone’s winery produced this gorgeous Italian sparkling wine with hints of guava and pear that is surprisingly not THAT sweet and I was hooked after the first sip.
I have learnt that this Muscat has its low temperature fermentation interrupted when the alcohol reaches just 5% before all the sugar has converted into alcohol.
As a result, we have a bright and highly aromatic product that enhances the natural sweetness of the grapes.
That explains why it’s not that sticky kind of frizzante. I liked it straight away.
The food of my choice
That comes the tricky part again. As hubby was working on a sunny weekend, I had the idea of preparing a lunch for myself only.
But I didn’t want to spend too much time cooking, so I have opted for fresh Spaghetti on Courgette Sauce and Mint recipe that I have just learnt with my favourite chef Paola Carossella a couple of days ago.
It’s a 15-minute recipe that enhance fresh herb flavours and it’s perfect for a summer meal. Here’s the result!
To make things better, my well-known Keto Lemon Cheesecake was the dessert of my choice to be the partner in crime to my beautiful Italian Muscat.
The fact this dessert is low maintenance also made my day easier. You just need five ingredients to prepare it. That was a main dish and dessert made in less than 40 minutes. Result!
As you probably noticed, I love lemon and I was just happy to have learnt that we should consider matching any Sweet wine’s colour with the colour of the food you are eating.
This Muscat’s pale lemon colour fitted perfectly to a fresh spaghetti and cheesecake. There you go. I think I got it right!
When Sparkling Muscat meets Spaghetti and Lemon Cheesecake
I was planning to try the wine during dessert time. But I thought it would be great to have a nice fresh main before it.
The fresh spaghetti with mint and some herbs made it a quite easy task. I just wished to have gone for a smaller portion. I cooked enough pasta to eat during the whole week. Opps, I am sorry.
On the other hand, this recipe sent me straight to somewhere in northwest Italy, more precise in Piedmont, where they certainly appreciate a delicious pasta an outdoor meal overlooking a gorgeous vineyard.
But here was the moment of truth. It was time to pair my lemon cheesecake with the Italian sparkling Muscat.
To be honest, I got it right again. A keto dessert doesn’t take too much sugar, it makes cheesecake a light pudding to go with your sweet wine.
I have enjoyed the acidity of lemon combined with the rich and versatile flavours found in a bottle of a traditional Moscato.
The is a lovely holiday kind of wine, perfect for drinking when cooking by yourself or serving on a dinner party before, during or after dessert.
I have finished the bottle, but there was enough cheesecake and spaghetti left for my husband enjoy my creation too.
* I received this product complimentary from Independent Wine for testing purposes.
Did you enjoy this review? You may like this review on Pairing Wine and Food – Crios Malbec Rose + Grilled Salmon and roasted potatoes.
