Why Moscato’s Sugar Level Is Not As Scary As You Think

Moscato is a deliciously sweet wine, but this does come at a cost. A typical bottle of Moscato contains about 100-200 grams of sugar, resulting in about 16-17 grams of sugar per 5 oz. glass. 

Moscato is certainly on the high end of sugar content compared to other white wines. White wines are split among four categories, Moscato falling in the sweet white category. 

Let’s compare the grams of sugar per standard glass (5 ounces) of Moscato to other types of white wines in each category. 

• Moscato: 16-17 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Prosecco (Sparkling): 1.5 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Pinot Grigio (Dry white): 1-1.5 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Riesling (Sweet white): 6-14 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Chardonnay (Rich White): 1-1.5 grams / 5 oz. pour

Moscato is only comparable to its fellow sweet whites, such as riesling, sauternes, and tokaji, as it contains far more sugar than white wines in any of the other categories. 

How about compared to red wine?

Moscato contains more sugar than most red wines as well, being most similar to reds in the dessert wine category. Here is a comparison of sugar content in Moscato to red wines in each category. 

• Moscato: 16-17 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Pinot Noir (Light red): 1-3 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Merlot (Medium red): 1 gram / 5 oz. pour
• Malbec (Bold red): 1.5 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Port (Dessert red): 15 grams / 3 oz. glass 

In addition to port, other dessert reds that are comparable in sugar content to Moscato are Sherry and Vinsanto. 

Are there some brands of Moscato that are lower in sugar?

It can be difficult to find Moscato with low sugar content, so brands that specialize in low-calorie wines are the best options. These brands are most commonly found in the United States, where there is a big market for low-cal wine. Here are some brands to try that are lower in sugar:

• Oliver Blueberry Moscato (Indiana, United States) : 11 grams / 5 oz. pour
• Skinnygirl Moscato (California, United States) : 0 grams / 5 oz. pour
• The Skinny Vine Mini Moscato (California, United States): 0 grams / 5 oz. pour

Final Thoughts on Moscato’s Sugar Level

Speaking of Moscato and a healthy lifestyle, it is not the best combination you can get. So even though it is not rare that your diet program advises you to take a sip of wine from time to time, Moscato is the type of wine you should avoid.

It is not that one glass of Moscato will hurt all the effort, but if you can make a better choice with wines with lover sugar levels such as Riesling, Chardonnay, or Cabernet Sauvignon. 

These wines have considerably lower sugar levels, unlike Moscato, which has one of the highest amounts of sugar.