February 11, 2021

Marabino: Muscatedda

 

Think about everything you know about Moscato.  It’s sweet, usually quite light in color, flavorful with lots of fruit, floral, and sometimes a hint of mustiness.  Moscato is a summertime wine made for sipping on your back porch (or the deck of your pool).  It’s soft and easy, not too complex, and not a heavy wine.

Now forget all of that.  This bottle is made from Moscato grapes, but it doesn’t taste anything like you’d expect.  I had it blind and guessed the varietal to be something else altogether.  This one is filled with citrus, lemon, lime, and a bit of minerality.  It’s bold, in your face, and complex.  It’s worth finding a bottle to try, worth the complexity of an interesting wine you may never experience again.

I find many people are like this.  Outside appearances don’t indicate the complexity of the person inside.  Sometimes a tiny, petite young woman can have the drive, focus, and temperament of a bulldog.  Sometimes a tall, broad-shouldered man is quiet and shy.  You never know a person by their appearances.  You have to get to know them – really know them – to know what is inside the bottle.

This week I had lunch with someone.  We weren’t close friends; we were discussing business matters.  She was someone I’d always taken as a rule follower, someone who colored inside the lines, lived inside the box, and only crossed the street at a crosswalk.  (I am a reformed “inside the box” girl myself.)  I found she had a refreshing focus on business, a new perspective on old ideas, and a fresh outlook on life in general.  I hope this is the first of many opportunities to share ideas over a meal.

A lot of people are like great wines – you don’t get to experience the best parts until you’ve opened the bottle.