Flat Creek Estate Muscato D'Arancia Orange Muscat 2010 Texas

Bottle 2 of 7 is on the table tonight.

Here's why I bought this one:

Slight residual sugars enhance the fruit flavors and balance the acidity in this food-friendly wine.  Aromas of orange blossom and magnolia match the soft texture.

OK, that, and the fact that I might have possibly been in a buying frenzy. Because that description, while nice (I especially like the bit about orange blossom and magnolia!), is not quite as enticing as it was in my memory. However, I loved that Purple Cow Muscat so much that it sure would be nice to find another one like it that might be easier to obtain.

So, the bottle (which, by the way, has another Carrollesque Drink Now label) is slightly smaller than most, at 500 mL as compared to 750 (sad face), but it was also cheaper than its larger brethren at Flat Creek (happy face). It has a pleasingly long and narrow shape. The wine is a pretty sunshiney golden color. And (while once again wondering just how suggestible I might be) I do catch a faint whiff of orange.

To taste, the wine is just a bit sweeter than I'd like. But for a Muscat, where some sweetness is expected, this is not a valid complaint. Without a side-by-side comparison it's hard to say for sure, but I have the feeling that the Purple Cow Muscat was more to my liking. But even if this one is not my favorite, it's still very enjoyable. I like the fruity flavor, and it's nice to have a white wine that I don't find bland or musty or one of those other negative descriptors I've used for whites in the past.

As for "orange blossom and magnolia" . . . I have discovered something interesting tonight. If I tell myself, "This tastes like orange!" and then take a sip, it tastes like orange. If I say, "This tastes like peach!" and take a sip, I taste peach. If I say, "This tastes like pear!" and sip . . . asparagus. (Just kidding. It's pear.) I'd like to believe this says more about the fruity flavor of this wine than it says about the inability of my palate to distinguish between flavors, but I must admit I'm not convinced of that fact.

Here's the official verdict. If you are looking for a sweet summery wine, I'll say this one gets two thumbs up. If putting "sweet" and "wine" together in the same sentence is not for you, move along.