From the first warm days of June to the long, lazy September evenings, Seattle residents crave crisp, refreshing wines for summer sipping. T hink Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Grigio. Riesling. Rosé.

And Muscat. A sweet, low alcohol wine that hails from the oldest cultivated wine grape variety, it's long been enjoyed as a palate pleaser for summer days. This crisp, slightly sweet varietal charms with the fresh fruit notes of the grape, and – like many of its summer sister wines – offers a refreshing, aromatic thirst quencher. It’s also ideal for enjoying as a pre-dinner wine or when served alongside spicy foods, a cheese course, shellfish or beside fresh summer fruit.

But Muscat wines aren’t solely meant for sipping; chefs who’ve embraced this wine in the kitchen know this versatile varietal can enliven summer dishes as well. “Muscat is great for both drinking and cooking. Its natural sweetness and low acidity is the benefit of cooking with it, and I love the way it can enhance and balance something sour,” says Jason Dallas, Executive Chef at the Hunt Club at the Sorrento Hotel.

At the Sorrento Hotel, that something sour might be a rhubarb-infused dish that benefits greatly from the addition of Muscat. The wine’s sweetness counters rhubarb’s tart flavor profile, and pairs beautifully for classic rhubarb combinations like the rhubarb and strawberry cobbler Chef Dallas serves. Chef Dallas even finds that the rhubarb brings out new flavors in the Muscat that guests would never normally notice.

Indeed, cooking with Muscat plays up its personality, and highlights the very reasons it makes a great liquid asset in the kitchen. For starters, Muscat has just the desired amount of residual sugar (or sweetness) and a good viscous consistency, which means it requires very little cooking time. Additionally, it displays enough acidity to cut through fatty ingredients like foie gras, and, according to Executive Chef Matt Williams of Beato Food & Wine in West Seattle, also creates wonderful floral and citrus notes within a dish without actually having to add additional ingredients.

Most often, Muscat wine works its magic in a dessert course like Chef Dallas’ rhubarb cobbler or Chef William’s Ricotta Fritti with Moscato Zabaglione and raspberry jam. Seasonal summer fruits like rhubarb or berries make ideal partners in dishes; however, know that come fall and winter, later winter fruits like citrus, dried figs, and dates will also marry well with Muscat to create memorable desserts.

And occasionally Muscats can transcend the dessert course to create enlightened entrees. Both Chef Dallas and Chef Williams have used Muscat as a base for vinaigrettes that can then be paired with many types of dishes such as raw fish, scallops, spot prawns, foie gras and bitter greens. Both find that the varietal’s inherent qualities will balance out the vinegary flavor of a sauce or the dressing, and work well to brighten a dish.

Whether you’re planning to cook with Muscat for dinner or dessert, when browsing the bottles of Muscat at your local grocer or wine shop, remember it is Muscat wine not Moscato d’asti you desire. The later is effervescent and makes a great aperitif or after dinner wine but is not an appropriate choice for use in these recipes. Instead, turn to local Muscats like that from Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville or Latah Creek Wine Cellars in Spokane.

Make sure to source a high quality Muscat for your kitchen experimenting. “There are many Muscats that taste over- processed, are out of balance, contain too much sugar or are too floral,” says Chef Williams. “When used, these can very easily cause a dish to be unbalanced or overpowering.” Avoid this issue by requesting guidance from your local wine guru and you’ll be sure to find a great summer sipping Muscat that’s equally valuable in the kitchen.

Find the recipes from this story: Jason Dallas: Strawberry-Rhubarb Muscat Cobbler
Matt Williams: Ricotta Fritti with Raspberry Sauce and Muscat Zabaglione

A former Seattleite, Ashley Gartland now lives in Portland where she works as a freelancer writer. She writes about food, drinks and lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest and has previously been published in Northwest Palate, Edible Portland, and Seattle Metropolitan.