What Is Moscato Wine’s Alcohol Content?
Last Updated on August 1st, 2023
Reader Disclosure Disclosure: We may earn commissions for purchases made through links on our site. Learn more on our about us page.Moscato ranges from about 5 to 10 percent alcohol. Sweet wines are often lower in alcohol content than dry ones, and Moscato is one of the sweetest white wines available, topped only by port and ice wine. There are outliers; for example, some Moscatos have most alcohol removed for consumers who don’t drink. Fortified Moscato is another exception, like Earl Stevens Mangoscato, with an alcohol percentage of 18 percent.
Is Moscato Considered To Be High In Alcohol?
Among white wines, Moscato has the lowest alcohol content on average, so most people don’t associate it with being a strong drink. It has about the same amount of alcohol on the low end as a light beer. Drier wines are best if you’re looking for something high in alcohol. Sauvignon blanc has an alcohol content of 12 to 14 percent. It’s a significant leap from Moscato to Sauvignon blanc, however.
Fortified wines mix wine and spirits, but they can easily be 20 percent alcohol. They’re very sweet dessert wines. Winemakers add alcohol before or during the fermentation process. The earlier it’s added, the sweeter the wine will be.
Is Moscato Considered A Strong Wine?
Most people don’t consider Moscato a strong wine. Other than the occasional exception, Moscato is a sweet wine with a slight alcohol percentage. It’s meant to be a light-bodied wine, whereas full-bodied wines have more alcohol.
It’s certainly possible to still get drunk off Moscato, just like beer or hard seltzers. It’s not hard to find a Moscato with about twice the alcohol content as a White Claw, though. Try Middle Sister Moscato, a Californian wine with 11 percent alcohol. You can also opt for a fortified wine, which contains up to four times the alcohol as beer.
Is All Moscato Low Alcohol?
Most Moscatos are on the low end of alcohol content. Some Moscatos even have their alcohol almost entirely removed, like Fre Moscato and Almost Zero Alcohol-Free White Wine. But some bottles can have 10 percent, with fortified Moscato sometimes having up to 20 percent. In general, Moscato is supposed to be a light wine that pairs well with sweet pastries, fruit tarts, and other desserts. It’s made from Moscato grapes, which is a contributing factor in the wine’s sweetness and alcohol content. But the climate where those grapes are grown also matter. In addition, most winemakers aren’t trying to make a Moscato with very high alcohol content.
Why Is Moscato So Low Alcohol?
Moscato is so low in alcohol because the fermentation process is stopped early to prevent all the sugar from converting into alcohol. Moscato grapes come from a family of grape called Muscat. There are plenty of grapes within this family that are fermented until the wine is dry. These wines have higher alcohol percentages and might be what you’re looking for if Moscato grapes are your favorite. They’re closely related and have many similarities, but they’re not technically made from Moscato grapes, so they’re not called Moscato. Try Bonterra Dry Muscat (13.5 ABV) and Imagery Estate Winery Muscat Canelli (14.2 ABV).
Can You Get Drunk Off Moscato?
Most people can get drunk off Moscato, but how much is required depends on their gender, weight, tolerance, and other factors. Some people report being “wine drunk.” But studies haven’t found a difference between being drunk from wine and being drunk from other alcoholic beverages. So yes, if getting drunk off Moscato is your goal, it’s possible, especially if you’re small and without a tolerance. You may need more than one bottle if you’re sharing with someone trying to achieve the same goal. It’ll be harder to get drunk from Moscato than a spirit high in alcohol like scotch or gin.
How Much Moscato Does It Take To Get Drunk?
Getting drunk can take as little as two glasses or more than an entire bottle, although the whole bottle isn’t a good idea. The alcohol in Moscato is the same in Vodka; there’s just less of it in wine. Men are considered legally drunk after two or three glasses of wine, and women need only two. However, most people aren’t aiming for legally drunk, which has a pretty low threshold for people who have no plans on driving. A standard bottle of wine has about five glasses of wine. A party of two will likely need two bottles, but again, drunkenness has a lot of factors.
Summary
Moscato wine’s alcohol content varies, but it’s usually around 5 to 10 percent. They’re meant to be light-bodied dessert wines. It’s not a strong drink by any means, and it’ll take a few glasses to get drunk. Fortified wine is a blend of Moscato and another alcohol, which might be better.
