Muscat, Avinyo 2009, Vi D'Agulla, Penedes - $34

Grapes:100% Muscat From:    Spain (just north of Barcelona) Description: This one’s a summer thirst quencher.  Ideal as an aperitif or if people are just snacking on things like shrimp Tacos! You can pick up a rich Muscat scent, but the sweetness usually associated with this grape is hardly there.  Instead you get flavors of tart grapefruit and a little flintiness. This cheeky & slightly bubbly little number is low in alcohol and very quaffable! Fact: This Muscat grape (muscat blanc a petit grains)  is usually associated with sweet, dessert wines – probably the most obvious of which is the Muscat de Beaume de Venise – so you may have guests thinking this is going to be sweet – it isn’t!  Food Pairing: This is light in alcohol and fizzy so is probably best drunk pre-dinner or with Tapas style food – shrimp and grits!