Your Holiday Moscato

This review is based on a sample supplied by the winery or another organization acting on their behalf.

2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato – SRP $7.99

My comments

It’s getting to be the time of the year where any holiday party or family gathering will require a bottle of an off dry, fruity wine to satisfy your guests. In this area, nothing really fills that hole better than a Moscato. A Moscato is like a fruit salad in a glass. They generally have a very appealing nose full of fruit ranging from apples and pears to peaches and apricots and everything in between. Moscato wines range from just barely off dry to very sweet and sugary. Some Moscato wines have a slight effervescence that helps keep them light on the palate and adds to the festive atmosphere.

I was a bit surprised when I noticed the grapes for this wine are actually from the Western Cape of South Africa. It’s nice to see a winery search all over the world for grapes that may otherwise not find a route to a table in the United States.

This wine is a blend of 94% Muscat Alexander and 6% Chardonnay that has 4.4% residual sugar and an alcohol level of 11.5%.

Winery history

In 1930 the Cherokee Vineyard Association was established near the town of Woodbridge.

In 1979 the Robert Mondavi family bought the Cherokee Vineyard Association and renamed it Woodbridge.

Over thirty years ago, Robert Mondavi set out to establish a wine culture in America by putting great California wine on every table. In 1979 he established the Woodbridge Winery near his childhood home of Lodi, California. His name is on the bottle. His story is in it.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale, clear, yellow to straw color. The fresh and fruity nose features apples, peaches, apricots, minerals, orange zest, and fresh flowers. The wine is light to medium body with light sweetness, soft acidity, and just a touch of effervescence. The wine is lightly sweet but not cloying. On the palate the sweet, juicy peaches take center stage with apples, minerals, and orange zest in the background. The finish is fairly long with the sweet fruit very slowly fading away. I can see this being a big hit at a family gathering or party over the upcoming holiday season.

Here is a recipe from the winery using the wine.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato Tips & Tricks

By Candice Kumai

Sweet Peach and Moscato Preserves

Ingredients

8 Ripe peaches, sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 Cups sugar

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Rind of 1 lemon, peeled into large pieces using vegetable peeler

1 cup of 2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato

1 and a half -3oz packages liquid sure gel pectin

1 Tablespoon mint, sliced into thin ribbons

6-7 Sterile ½ pint mason jars with lids

Instructions

1. In a medium stockpot, combine peaches, sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and Moscato, bringing to a boil.

2. Stirring gently, reduce to a slow simmer over medium heat. Cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Some foam may appear at the top of the pot, using a spider or a slotted spoon skim off the foam and discard. Remove lemon rind with a fork.

4. Add mint and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat and add the liquid pectin stirring constantly. Return to a full rolling boil and cook for 1 minute. Quickly and very carefully ladle the preserves into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 in head space at the top.

6. Place the lids on top of the jam jars. Carefully twist on the tops.

7. To Seal: Gently, place the jars in a large stockpot full of boiling water. Make sure that the jars are fully submerged in the boiling water. Let it sit in the simmering water for 10-15 minutes to set. Jars should seal by then. If not, they will seal while cooling.

8. Remove jars after 10-15 minutes, set aside to cool and set. You will hear a “pop” noise when jars are sealed.

9. Allow jars to set for 24 hours before opening.

Remember to support your local wine store!

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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.