You blew your wad on a couple of lobster tails, yet you still want to serve an impressive nuanced bubbly alongside the meal. Champagne's out. A quality Prosecco or Cava could work, but they don't quite have the je ne sais quoi elegance you're looking for. I'd like to propose a delicate, lightly sweet Moscato d'Asti. Specifically, the La Caudrina "La Selvatica" Asti from Italy's famed Piedmont region.

La Caudrina "La Selvatica" Asti

Not to be confused with its more popular (yet somehow both bland and cloying) cousin Asti Spumante, Moscato d'Asti is a sophisticated, low alcohol, frizzante or semi-sparkling wine. Its production is limited to small, artisanal winemakers in the hillsides surrounding the town of Asti. The gently pressed juice of the Moscato Bianco grapes is fermented in closed stainless steel tanks and is generally allowed to reach a mere 5 percent sweetness. DOGC designation indicates the highest level of quality.

A bit more complex than a Spumante, a Moscato d'Asti makes its presence known through its lively acidity– supplying a much-needed citrus spritz for a successful seafood pairing. In this case, the terroir of the La Caudrina "La Selvatica" Asti also supplies a touch of minerality to the citrus notes. Plus, its perfumed aromatics and hint of honey flavor serve to complement the succulent, decadent, chewy-wonderful bite of sea-bed-sweet lobster tail in Greg's dish.

But it's not all sweetness and light. Greg has a habit of spicing things up. This time he's thrown habanero pepper into the mix. Another reason that a slightly sweet, chilled wine makes sense– it cuts through Greg's "devilishly" spiced interpretation of Lobster Spaghetti.

If money's no object, and that's not likely the case unless you're one of the 85 people who control half the world's wealth (don't get me started), you could pop for Champagne instead. But why spend more just to play it safe? This charming sparkler with the whimsical label will make you just as happy and will change the way you think about Asti. KEN