The oeno files

Makeup: 100 percent Muscat
Hails from: Piedmont, Italy, in the Asti DOCG (hence the “d’Asti” in the name)
Profile: A low-alcohol, lightly sparkling (that’s frizzante in winespeak) wine with a touch of residual sugar. Sweet, light and effervescent, with a nose of fresh apricots and traces of candied citrus that pop off your tongue.
Pairings: It’s too sweet for any course other than dessert, yet Moscato d’Asti will be crushed by strong flavors like chocolate. Luckily, drinking it with sorbet is a dream. Try it with the lemon ice from Miko’s Italian Ice (2236 N Sacramento Ave between Lyndale St and Belden Ave, 773-988-9664).

Sweet and bubbly—but, thanks to a fresh, sparkling acidity, not at all cloying—Moscato d’Asti seems made for nights spent in the backyard catching fireflies. Just look at that label: bright green grass basking in the sun. I’m not saying you can judge a bottle by its label, but this one comes pretty close.

But there’s another time to drink Moscato: While enjoying Lil’ Kim’s oeuvre. “Still over in Brazil?/?Sipping moscato,” she raps.?“You must have forgot though?/?So I’ma take it back to the block, yo.”

Of course, Lil’ Kim isn’t drinking any Moscato at the moment (it’s pretty much just milk and water in the pen), but as a free woman she asks specifically for Saracco. Maybe that’s because Paolo Saracco, the wine maker who has been creating this stuff since he was 17, has been dubbed “The King of Moscato.” Like Kim’s friend Kanye says: “Hypno, Crysso, I mean whatever?/?Saracco Moscato it do taste better.”

I couldn’t have rapped it better myself.

2005 Saracco Moscato d’Asti is available at Just Grapes (560 W Washington Blvd between Jefferson and Clinton Sts, 312-627-9463) for $12.99.—David Tamarkin