National Moscato Day Date in the current year: May 9, 2024

Muscat, also known as Moscato in Italian, is a family of grapes that includes over 200 grape varieties, whose colors range from white, to yellow, to pink, to almost black. Despite their different colors, most Muscat grapes and wines made from them have a sweet floral aroma.

Judging by the sheer number of Muscat varieties, it is safe to assume that it is one of the oldest cultivated grape varieties. Some theories claim that most domesticated grape varieties are descendant from Muscat grapes.

Food historians do not know for sure where Muscat grapes came from, but it is believed that they originated either on the Arabian Peninsula or in Greece and then made their way to Italy and other parts of Europe.

The first recorded mention of Muscat dates back to the 13th century. It can be found in De proprietatibus rerum (“On the Properties of Things”), a compendium authored by the Franciscan scholar Bartholomeus Anglicus.

Today, the Muscat grape is one of the most popular grape varieties in Italy, where it is used to make sparkling and semi-sparkling wines. It is also cultivated in France, where it is used in the production of fortified wines, Spain, Greece, parts of Central Europe (namely Germany and Austria), Australia, South Africa, and the United States.

American Moscato wines typically come from California. They can be white, pink, red, and sparkling. Moscato wines usually range from sweet to semi-sweet and have a fresh and fruity flavor with notes of peach, honey and citrus. Their flavor profile makes these wines perfect for pairing with spicy food, salty snacks, and sharp cheeses. Moscato is also delicious with desserts.

National Moscato Day was introduced in 2012 by the Gallo Family Vineyards, a family-owned winery that has been in business since 1933 and produces white, pink and red Moscato. The Gallo Family hopes that you will raise a glass of Moscato to celebrate the holiday.

There are a lot of fun ways to celebrate National Moscato Day with your friends. You can host a wine-tasting party, attend a wine tasting class at a local restaurant, take a trip to a vineyard that produces Moscato, or simply enjoy a glass of Moscato with some cheese and fruit. Moscato has one of the lowest alcohol contents compared to other wines, so you can even enjoy the second glass without overdoing it.

National Moscato Day isn’t the only wine-related holiday you can celebrate. Similar observances include, but are not limited to, National Wine Day (May 25), National Rosé Day (the second Saturday of June), National Champagne Day (which has two possible dates, August 4 and December 31), and National Sangria Day (December 20). In Argentine, there’s World Malbec Day, which celebrates the country’s signature wine. It is observed annually on April 17.