A Wine for Tonight: 2011 Ecco Domani Moscato
By Kori ~ July 19th, 2012.
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2011 Ecco Domani Moscato from Italy.
Our selection criteria include:
- A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
- A price tag of <=$20
- Must be widely available
Ecco Domani, which means “here’s tomorrow,†produces contemporary style wines from distinctly Italian grape varieties. Fabrizio Gatto, head winemaker for Ecco Domani since the 1995 vintage, and his team strive to create wines that exhibit the best that Italy has to offer. Since Ecco Domani’s debut in 1996, it has become the leading premium imported brand in the United States. Moscato has a long history of growing in northern Italy where the cool temperatures are ideally suited to bringing out the best characteristics from this aromatic variety. While there are many sub-varieties of Moscato grown in the world, it is the small-berried Moscato Bianco grape, also known as Moscato di Canelli, that is considered best and it forms the base of this wine along with the sweet Moscato Giallo. The fruit is sourced predominately from the Friuli Venezia Giulia with a portion from Trentino and the Colli Euganei in the Veneto.
“Lovely aromas of peach, apricot and mandarin orange entice the nose, while the slightly off-dry palate has bright acidity to make this wine so refreshing. Excellent as an aperitif, Ecco Domani Moscato also has the body to match well with a range of fragrant and spicy dishes.†–Fabrizio Gatto, head winemaker for Ecco Domani
2011 Ecco Domani Moscato (Delle Venezie IGT, Italy): Medium yellow in color. Aromatic with sweet apricot, honey, and floral notes on the nose. More apricot, honey, and orange blossom come through on the palate. Semi-sparkling, medium-bodied, and sweet with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14; Available elsewhere, $8 to $11
Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, Italian Wine, Moscato/Muscat, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25