When I heard that WineShop At Home had made a Rosé primarily out of Muscat, I got very excited. I love Muscat, and I love Rosé. What could be a better match? I have to say that WineShop At Home’s new Fact Blush is the best Rosé I’ve ever had.
Because I had never heard of a Muscat Rosé before, I wanted to do a little research. This article is devoted to what I learned about Muscat Rosé.
How Do You Get Pink from Muscat Grapes?
My first question was how you get pink out of Muscat. While I know that Muscat comes in an array of colors, including red and black, I usually think of Muscat as a white wine. And I know that the two Muscats that Alex Reble, our wine maker, used in our Fact Blush are considered white: Muscat of Alexandria (80%) and Muscat Canelli (15%).
It turns out that Alex used 5% Zinfandel to add the color. But when I look on line, I see a bunch of pink Rosés made from these same Muscat grapes. I’m guessing the wine makers did something similar to produce the gorgeous pink color.
The Many Colors of Muscat
According to SpecialtyProduce’s website, “there are over 200 varieties of Muscat grapes, botanically classified as Vitis vinifera. They are among some of the oldest cultivated grapes and thought to be the ancestor of many known varieties that are eaten today. The many cultivars can range from almost pure white to deep reddish-purple and are known for making all styles of wine from still to sparkling, dry to sweet. There are actually a number of Muscat varietals that can technically be classified as “Red”.
WineForRookies goes on to say that it’s not uncommon to see different colored grapes on the same bunch.
When I look up Muscat of Alexandria on images.google.com, I see many different colors. Perhaps that’s how so many producers are able to make beautiful pink wine.
Looking at Different Muscat Rosés
When I looked on line, I found a bunch of inexpensive Muscat Rosés. Most were around $10. Some were well under this price.
I found a Croation one that looks very nice, but I couldn’t find a price, and I’m guessing it’s not easy to find in the states. On another site about Croation Muscats, it said that their grapes have a bright red color with a pink glow.
While I’d love to do a comparison tasting, I’m confident that our Fact Blush stands well above the rest.
Fact Blush Rosé Tasting Notes
Our Fact 2016 Blush has an intense pink color with a slight hue of indigo. Aromas such as strawberry and raspberry spring from the glass. They are accompanied by concentrated flavors of sweet, red fruit jam. This short to medium-bodied wine has a mild, fruity attack. A little kick of acidity gives the finish a lively tone.
The sweet finish of this wine will pair well with shrimp cocktail, bruschetta, light and fruity or chocolate-based desserts. Our featured recipe is Grilled Spiced Peach Melba.
I hope you enjoy Alex’s video about this wine.
I am certain this wine will sell out very quickly. If you’d like to try it in a tasting, please call me. If you’d like to place an order, please visit my Fact Blush page.
Cheers!
As an independent wine consultant with WineShop At Home, I absolutely enjoy bringing a taste of the Napa wine country home to you one sip at a time. Whether you simply love to drink wine, seek a special personalized wine gift, or are in search of a new wine jobs opportunity as a wine consultant, feel free to contact me for a truly unique wine tasting experience!
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