Muscat Nero D'avola Schioppettino Torrontes In-Store or Curbside pickup

Known as Moscato in Italy, and Moscatel in Portugal and Spain, Muscat is one of the oldest continually cultivated grape varietals in the world. It originally came out of the Middle East, and was picked up by the ancient Greeks, who brought it to Italy and elsewhere in their empire. Because of its astounding age and continuous use, it has long since been mutated and crossbred to produce dozens of subspecies, and it is known by lots of synonyms and regional names. Because of this, it is fair to say that there is no ‘true’ Muscat grape. The most popular - and oldest - varietal within this group, however, is Muscat Blanc au Petit Grains, which is grown with great results most notably in France and South Africa.



Known for its light and fruity character, Muscat of Alexandria is the second oldest of the Muscat grapes, and is found in several countries around the Mediterranean. The grape is prized for its versatility - indeed, almost every imaginable type of wine style, from dry to medium to sweet and sparkling, can be made from this varietal. Generally speaking, though, Muscat grapes have a relatively low acidity which make them unsuitable for ageing, meaning the vast majority of Muscat wines are drank very young, wherein they can express their best features.

Italy’s largest island, Sicily, has a wine producing history that can put most other European regions to shame. It was producing quality wines before the days of the Roman empire, and even the Ancient Greeks were not the first to cultivate vines on the island. For as long as anyone knows, the key grape varietal of Sicily has been Nero d’Avola, the beautiful, deep blue skinned grape which produces the region’s characterful, powerful red wines. While in the past, Nero d’Avola was mainly used as a blending grape, due to its deep color and intensely full body, it is today being increasingly celebrated as a single varietal wine grape, and is perfect for those who like their wines boisterous, loud and strong.



Nero d’Avola is grown pretty much everywhere on Sicily, as demand for wines made from this grape have never been higher. Despite its power and body, it is quite a versatile grape - it can be aged in oak barrels, which produces a dense and dark wine which puts its intense characteristics to good use, but it is also often drunk quite young, which allows its jammy, plummy character to come forward. It is also used to make rose wines in some appellations of Sicily, demonstrating a softer side to this otherwise heavy, deeply flavorful grape.