Moscadello, 2018. Capanna

Capanna was founded in 1957 by Giuseppe Cencioni in the Montosoli area of Tuscany's Montalcino. He was one of the makers of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most notable wines.

Though our selection comes from the famous Montalcino area, it is nothing like the large, ageable reds made from Brunello. If anything, it is the complete opposite. It is one of the lightest and freshest wines made anywhere.

The principal grape here is Moscato, also known as Muscat, which is considered to be the mother of all grapes, as it was most likely the first grape made into wine some 8,000 years ago. How it mutated into grapes like Brunello is a story that takes literally thousands of years.

Any grapevine can self-pollinate. But if the two are different, that pollination leaves a trace of the different grape. Fast forward 4,000 to 5,000 years and you have grapes that might have origins worlds apart from what is generally known. What is fascinating is that almost every year a new discovery is made of how one grape is connected to a seemingly completely different one through DNA tracing.

However, our Moscadello is unmistakable. It sports all of the attributes we love in Moscato. Low alcohol and low sugar are the key points. And that refreshing sparkle and prominent tart finish becomes everything you would want with a biscotti or fruit salad. It is even great all by itself.

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