Wine with Leslie: Stick to whites while sun shines

We are all looking for interesting lighter styles of wine and so Moscato d’Asti must be due its moment in the sun (literally). Picture: iStock

As I write, more hot weather is predicted, so I have ditched my original plan to talk about the red wines from Piedmont in Northern Italy and instead it is the whites of Piedmont.

Piedmont is in my head as we have been invited to a wedding in Novo Ligure (between Turin and Genoa) in September, and, of course, we are going, damn the expense. I’m not turning down the chance to go to an Italian wedding of my good friend Paolo to his beautiful Zambian girlfriend Jacinta. It should be brilliant fun.

Piedmont is probably my favourite culinary region of Italy, home to vitello tonnato, truffles, agnolotti, bagna càuda and of course hazelnut and chocolate torta (hence Nutella, also based in Piedmont).

And then there is the wine: Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Gavi and Moscato d’Asti to name the most famous ones (there are others too like Dolcetto and Arneis). Another reason Piedmont is in my head is because Simone, from famed Piedmont producer Michele Chiarlo, dropped over to my house on a sunny morning in July to let me taste some of his new vintages.

I’ll come back to their lithe elegant ‘Il Principe’ Langhe Nebbiolo and black cherry ‘Le Orme’ Barbera another day, and instead tell you about their saline crisp Gavi and their Moscato, the highlight of the tasting (see below). Nivole Moscato d’Asti is a gloriously scented and lightly sweet sparkling wine from around the town of Asti. At just 5% alcohol I could happily finish my glass rather than spit it out as I did the reds. We are all looking for interesting lighter styles of wine and so Moscato d’Asti must be due its moment in the sun (literally).

It is also great in cocktails– take a look at moscatonivole.com, I especially recommend the Moscato Mule and the White Sangria.

Michele Chiarlo ‘Palas’ Gavi, Piedmont, Italy, €26

Gavi is the classic white of Southern Piedmont, closer to Genoa than Turin and a favourite in the fish restaurants along that beautiful Ligurian coast.

This has tropical notes mixed with herbal ones, citrus and minerality on the palate, dry clean, dry, lemon-fresh and with a touch of salinity. If you are on a budget, try the LIdl Gavi (€10), its not the same but it is tasty.

• Baggot St. Wines; Mortons; McHughs Malahide Rd, Mchughs.ie

Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 5% ABV, 375cl, €18

This is probably the most praised of all Moscatos, favoured by Michael Broadbent MW and others. Grapes are picked a little early to ensure freshness, deliciously fragrant with peach and apricot notes mixing with floral and herbal touches. Lightly sweet with a creamy, grapey richness and beautifully balanced. Serve as an Aperitivo (or digestivo) or try with salty snacks. Cocktail recipes at moscatonivole.com.

• 1601 Kinsale; McHughs; Sweeneys; Nude Wine Co; wineonline.ie

GD Vajra Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 5.5% ABV 75cl, €19-20

A little less intense than the Chiarlo (to my palate anyway), but at a good price and from another famed Piedmont producer.

Fermentation is stopped via cold stabilisation to leave some light sweetness. Apple, peach and apricots on the nose with that intoxicating grapey muscat aroma, a balanced fruity palate with sweetness, fruit and fizz in harmony and a lingering appley finish.

• Matsons; World Wide Wines; Wine Centre; wineonline.ie

Hope Brewery Underdog Pilsner, 4.8% ABV, €3.50

I’ve been drinking lots of pilsners this summer and thankfully Irish craft brewers have really gotten a handle on the style (e.g. 8 Degrees, Whiplash, DotBrew).

I loved this version from Hope, made with German hops (including Saaz), clean, crisp and complex, citrusy, herbal, malty and of course tart and bright as all pilsners should be with a malty bitter kick on the finish

• No. 21; World Wide Wines; Matsons; Eldons; SuperValu; CraftCentral.ie; HopeBeer.ie