character:

Muscat de Beaume de Venise is a summer fling—sweet natured, flirtatious, easy in a way the buttoned-up year-round romance never could be. And not exactly the kind of girl who sticks around for the business of fall and winter. No, she is from the south of France, and she will be taking the south of France back with her at the end of the summer. In the meantime there are ever so many long summer nights. And there is perhaps no better companion for a long summer night (particularly—apologies but it simply must be said—the end of a long summer night), than Mlle. Muscat. Neither as famous nor as aristocratic (nor as expensive) as her compatriot Sauternes, she is nevertheless terribly attractive, and seductive in such a blameless way that it is almost wholesome (almost). Maybe she’s done a bit of modeling, sure, but she the kind of model you have a late lunch with. The kind of model who will flirt with you. For the summer, that is.

tastes like:

Being kissed on the cheek by someone who has spent all day at the beach.

pairs nicely with:

Taking a place for the summer, keeping a place for the summer with no furniture other than a bed, and having a place for the summer with absolutely nothing in the refrigerator other than a chilled bottle of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise; women named Bianca, Camilla, or Margherita, or any woman with ‘de’ in her full name (or for goodness sake two); outdoor summer theater, free summer concerts, and other cultural events people attend with no intention of actually watching; Viennese lemon tarts, strawberries with cream, fresh peaches, and promises to keep in touch.