Prosecco Vs Moscato: What's The Difference?

Whether it’s a wedding, a birthday or just getting to the end of the week, sparkling wine is the epitome of fizzy fun.

But all of those delicious bubbles can sometimes make it hard to distinguish one sparkling wine from the other.

Take Prosecco and Moscato for example. What is the difference between the two?

Moscato Vs Prosecco: Whats The Difference

They’re both great for celebrating, but what are the differences between Prosecco and Moscato?

Let’s compare some of their qualities against one another to see if we can spot any immediate differences.

• Moscato is made from the Muscat grape and can be made all over the world in several styles.
• Prosecco is made from the Glera grape and has to be made in the Veneto area in North Italy.
• Prosecco is always sparkling.
• When made into a sparkling wine Moscato tends to be around 5-7% ABV.
• Prosecco has a higher alcohol level of 11-13% ABV.

So how do these facts help us compare Prosecco to Moscato?

How Do Moscato and Prosecco Compare?

Whereas all Prosecco is sparkling, not all Moscato is fizzy and this key difference can help us to compare Prosecco and Moscato against one another.

Sparkling Moscato d'asti and Prosecco may look similar in the glass but prosecco tastes very different moscato.

Sparkling Moscato will be lower in alcohol than Prosecco so will taste sweeter and more perfumed as a result.

So does that mean Prosecco is always drier than Moscato?

Which is the sweeter wine of the two?

Is Prosecco Sweeter Than Moscato D'Asti?

Is Prosecco sweet, we know the answer to that one already - yes! But is it sweeter than Moscato? 

As a rule, Moscato tends to be sweeter than Prosecco.

But that doesn’t mean that Prosecco can’t be sweet when it wants to be.

Sparkling Moscato wines will be very low in alcohol and taste sweeter as a result with aromas of green grapes, peach blossom and sweet pears.

Because Prosecco is higher in alcohol it will taste drier in comparison.

But it’s important to remember that some Prosecco's are made in off-dry to sweet styles, so always check the label

But what about alcohol content?

Does sweet Moscato have more alcohol than Prosecco?

Alcohol Content

Something useful to know when comparing Moscato with Prosecco is that when they are both sparkling, Moscato d'asti will have a much lower alcohol content than Prosecco.

Both Moscato and Prosecco will have their ABV written on their labels but you’ll be able to taste the difference.

Less alcohol means a more prominent sweetness in the glass and this will help to distinguish Moscato from Prosecco.

So if Prosecco and Moscato have different flavours, sweetness and alcohol levels, how do you choose between the two?

How Do I Choose Between Them?

Whilst facts are facts, taste is very personal, so the only person who can decide whether you’ll prefer Prosecco or Moscato is yourself.

If you want something soft and sweet with lots of perfumed aromatics then chilled Moscato may be the drink for you. 

However if fizzy, fun and lots of fruity notes of apple and pear sounds more up your street then give Prosecco a try.

Perhaps for your next celebration buy a bottle of each and see which one you and your guests prefer.

Before You Go...

We hope this article answers any questions you may have on Prosecco vs Moscato.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk

You can browse more posts on Wine Types here.

You can find some of our other Moscato Guides Here:

• Calories In Moscato

Expert Wine Storage can help you find a luxury wine fridge to store your precious wine collection.