2018 MOSCATO D'ASTI, GD Vajra. Piedmont, Italy

Bin: 906

Alcohol Percentage: 5.5%

Size of bottle: full bottle

Area: The Langhe Hills in Piedmont, south of Turin, are home to both the revered white truffle and the great wines of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Grape Variety: 100% Moscato (Italian for Muscat); the fermentation is stopped at half-way point, leaving natural grape sweetness and a gentle fizz.

Producer: Aldo Vajra's estate is at Vergne, close to the town of Barolo itself. He has 40 hectares total and is essentially a traditional producer, yet manages to coax silky fruit and rare charm from the notoriously difficult Nebbiolo grape. He also makes an elegant dry Riesling and this charming and delicate Moscato.

Cellar Potential: Drink young, don't cellar.

Food Match: Drink on its own or with light fruit-based sweets.

Old Bridge Rating: This is an un-serious, delicate light sweet wine. However, made this well, the pure, aromatic Moscato fruit character is truly impressive.

Press Reviews: 93/100 from Ian D'Agata on Vinous.Com:
"Bright straw-green. Very intense aromas and flavours of vanilla, white peach, orange blossom and lemon verbena. Ripe and luscious but fresh, featuring precise flavours of fresh citrus, vanilla and cinnamon. Finishes long and honeyed but with noteworthy floral lift. This is made with grapes grown in two vineyards in Mango (Riforno and San Donato) and one in Santo Stefano Belbo (Moncucco), both grand cru areas for Moscato Bianco. The 2017 Moscato d’Asti from Vajra is one of his best in recent years – and keep in mind that this is almost always a truly superb wine. In fact, as good as many of the Vajra family’s wines are (such as, for example, many standout Barolos, a benchmark Freisa, an outstanding Dolcetto and Piedmont’s most famous if not best Riesling wine), their Moscato d’Asti is almost always, each year, one of the denomination’s best."