One of my (many) “new favorite things” from recent visit to Italy’s Alto Adige region was Moscato Rosa. I’d never heard of it before this trip, and, frankly, specific answers were hard to come by. Some said Moscato Rosa was an entirely different grape from the two usual suspects: Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains and Muscat of Alexandria. Some insisted it wasn’t even a mutation of either… My conclusion, eventually, was that it must be simply the pink-skinned variety of Muscat Blanc.

The dessert wines that many Alto Adige producers make, and label Moscato Rosa, are intensely aromatic and flavorful, unfortified, red dessert wines. I fell hard for the very first one I tasted, and it remained my favorite throughout the trip:

Laimburg 2005 Moscato Rosa Alto Adige ($N/A). Lovely rose petal aromas accent deep, rich red berry compote character, definitely “grapey,” with a fresh, lively finish and just a touch of mineral on the long, lush, sweet finish. Ready to drink now and over the next few years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

I would happily drink Moscato Rosa all on its own, but it also matches very easily with all kinds of fruit desserts, as well as a simple piece of good quality Italian or Swiss chocolate — preferably with some kind of hazelnut something going on!

My impression is that not much Alto Moscato Rosa makes it out of the region, so if you see any on the shelves, go ahead and take a chance! If you’re really interested, try this link and then start narrowing things down by your State…

Laimburg, by the way, is a very cool place to visit — part winery, part research center, with loads to see and do. I’m honestly not sure whether it’s open to the public, but if you’re ever in the area, you should definitely try to make an appointment — both to taste the wines and to hear about the broad spectrum of research and findings on agriculture, ecology and more. (And thanks, Heike — both for the Moscato Rosa and for all the great information and fun!)

Oh, and also check out the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle — Laimburg is involved here, too, and even if you think you don’t care about botanical gardens, this is truly unique and worth a look.