Moscato Fatigue

I have just recently transferred from buying for a store in a middle class suburb, to buying for a store on the border of an extremely upper class suburb and a working class neighborhood. That’s just the layout of Memphis. The premise presented to me by the owners was that they want me to expand their selection to bring in more of the country club crowd, while stiil retaining the working class demographic. An example of this is this weekends tasting: South African Steen, a South African Rhone-style blend, next to Jam Jar Moscato and Sweet Shiraz. Really it is a blast, because it covers all ends of the spectrum. I am selling a lot of Ice Wine and Botryisized wine actually. I am sitting on a '94 Chateau 'de Yquem that is calling my name.

However, in the midst of this exciting adventure of selling to high end execs and NBA players (the store is located right next to the main office of a major corporation), I think I am experiencing what I have deemed, “Moscato Fatigue.” The most common questions I encounter are, “Is it sweet?” when referring to a Moscato, and “Can I have the strongest moscato you’ve got?”

My solution so far for the second question is to refer the customers asking the latter question to either a standard Ruby Port, or Croft Pink Port. In some cases, depending on the desired level of sweetness, I have even gone to PX sherry or various Madieras. Sometimes I solemnly reply, “Yes it is.” to the first question. Late Harvest rieslings of varioius sorts also factor into that equation. A co-worker today noticed my frustration in transferring from Kendall-Junkies to “Stella Roze” addicts. He thought I might jump over the counter as I calmly led a customer to the fortified wine section.

Has anyone else encountered this? What can I do to combat Moscato fatigue? I will take any help or suggestions anyone can offer. I am not in SF, New York, or Chicago. So the playing field is quite different. I have a limited selection of wines to carry in the store due to a very tightly controlled 3-tier distribution system.

I see a market for fortified Moscato!

You know, I actually found some fortified Douro Moscatel on closeout that fit the pricing requirements, as well as some Muscat de Baumes de Venice that did not. I have the Yalumba Museum series Rutherglen as well, but I think the color of it in the bottle startles the average consumer.

We deal with this daily and I feel your pain. I overheard the owner of our store tell a rep that we needed another moscato in our set like he needed another hole in his head.

The alternatives you mentioned, Icewine, PX, etc are all good ideas. Though sometimes people just want a mag of Barefoot Moscato.

It can also be daunting attempting to tell those that want a high octane yet sweet wine the science of fermentation.

If any of the Andrew Quady wines are available those are pretty labels, family produced, and people eat them up. We carry the Red and White Electra as well as the Red and White Essencia.

Also I am able to turn some people on to German Riesling if they are open minded enough. Hell, sometimes getting a decent Moscato d’Asti into someones hand that asked for Sutter Home moscato feels like a small victory to me.

I hope some of this helps. I pray sometimes that Paul Giamatti makes another wine movie where he bashes Moscato. I guess I can dream.

I’m thinking it’s guys who want stronger Moscato, yes?

You’ve got to explain to them that the magic panty dropping power of Moscato is precisely BECAUSE at 6-8% ABV, it is very easy for their intended to drink more and then more and then more…

Country Clubs, major corporation, Memphis…

Sounds like Germantown to me, right by FedEx, off Hacks Cross (or Poplar… everything is off Poplar) … definitely nothing like SF, NY or Chicago…

We do carry the Electras, as well as Elysium from Qady. I just keep running into supply problems for those. I guess my problem is frustration with the change in adapting to a new micromarket. My strategy is more often than not to get someone to drink something they hadn’t considered or known about prior to walking into my store. Having to do that so much with sweet wines is new territory.

You have a point that sometimes a magnum of Barefoot Moscato is the best course of action. It may be selfish, but that’s just no fun for me. Why would I want to push a wine that sells iteself?