You may not know the name Aubrey Drake Graham, but you might know a Canadian rapper who goes simply by the name of Drake.
You may not know Tremaine Aldon Neverson, but you may know Trey Songz—the stage name used by Neverson, who is an American rapper.
In October 2009, Trey Songz released a song called “I Invented Sex,” which featured Drake. The song was a modest hit; it reached No. 42 on Billboard’s “Hot 100.”
But it seems to have had a tremendous impact on the sale of one particular type of wine: Muscat—a.k.a. Moscato.
The song’s lyrics project a…how would one describe it?…sensual message. Much of it can’t be shared on a family blog such as Vinesse Today.
But we can share the key lyrics—the words that some feel have helped fuel the surge in the popularity of Muscat/Moscato wines: “Lobster and shrimp and a glass of Moscato…”
Here are the facts:
- In 2008, according to market research firm SymphonyIRI Group, Moscato sales in the United States amounted to $32 million.<
- In 2009, “I Invented Sex” (see parental warning above) was released.
- In 2010, U.S. sales of Moscato increased to $105 million.
- In 2011, it’s expected that Moscato sales will jump to $164.
Can one song—and a modest hit, at that—really have such a significant impact on the sale of one type of wine?
We’ll answer that question with a question: Can one movie—and a modest hit, at that—really have such a significant impact on one type of wine? We refer you to the 2004 film “Sideways”, which helped put Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir on the map, and spawned the planting of hundreds of additional acres of Pinot in that region.
By the way, a much better pairing partner for lobster is a nice, buttery (but not oaky) Chardonnay. And with shrimp, we’d opt for Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling over Moscato.
What to eat with Moscato? Many Asian dishes (orange chicken, spicy shrimp, etc.) work well, as do fruit-based desserts such as peach tarts.
And feel free to select your own accompanying music.
Are there any dishes you associate with a particular song—or vice versa? Share you wine-and-music pairings in the comments box below.
Bear… if you’re still there…thank you for your comment. Did you read the entire post, or just the headline? Newspapers, magazines and, yes, even blogs have been using provocative headlines to draw in readers for, well, as long as such media have existed. Check out the AOL homepage, for instance. It’s packed with provocative headlines.Anyway, in the blog, we did not disparage the singer in any way. But we did suggest what our palates tell us what be a much more enjoyable wine-and-food pairing experience for many wine drinkers. Here’s what we said:<<< By the way, a much better pairing partner for lobster is a nice, buttery (but not oaky) Chardonnay. And with shrimp, we’d opt for Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling over Moscato.What to eat with Moscato? Many Asian dishes (orange chicken, spicy shrimp, etc.) work well, as do fruit-based desserts such as peach tarts.>>>That’s our opinion. The singer can have his. You can have yours—-as you did, by posting your comment.We like to think that there’s a lot to be learned from a healthy, respectful debate. When we state an opinion, we’re not saying or inferring that everyone else is wrong. There’s a lot of "grey area" in wine enjoyment. And we truly do love to hear what readers of our blog have to say.Yes, that goes for you, too, Bear. So stop by again sometime. We guarantee you’ll find plenty to agree… and disagree… with.