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Asti DOCG |
Description to Asti DOCG
The province of Asti with the capital of the same name in the Italian region of Piedmont encompasses the entire southern Monferrato hill region with 1,500 km². However, the sparkling wines(Spumante and Frizzante) produced from the Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc) grape variety, also known as Moscato d'Asti or Moscato di Canelli, which was already mentioned in 1203, are particularly famous. It thrives particularly well in the Langhe mountains around the municipality of Canelli, the centre of the sparkling wine industry. Sparkling wines were already produced here in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, when Piedmont still belonged to the Duchy of Savoy, Giovanni Battista Croce, the court jeweller to the Dukes of Savoy, improved the cultivation and cellar techniques of his dominion. In 1606, he wrote the treatise "On the Excellence and Variety of the Wines Produced in the Turin Mountains". In 1870, Carlo Gancia, known as the "father of Italian sparkling wine", introduced the méthode champenoise and founded the famous white sparkling wine. The "Consorzio per la Tutela dell'Asti" (a consortium for the protection of Asti wines) was founded as early as 1932.
DOC/DOCG areas
In this very large wine-growing area in Piedmont there are numerous DOC and DOCG areas, but some of them extend across borders in the three provinces of Asti, Alessandria and Cuneo:
- Albugnano (DOC)
- Asti - Asti Spumante, Asti Spumante Metodo Classico, Moscato d'Asti (DOCG)
- Barbera d'Asti (DOCG)
- Barbera del Monferrato (DOC)
- Barbera del Monferrato Superiore (DOCG)
- Brachetto d'Acqui - also Acqui (DOC)
- Calosso (DOC)
- Canelli - formerly Moscato d'Asti Canelli (DOCG)
- Cisterna d'Asti (DOC)
- Dolcetto d'Asti (DOC)
- Freisa d 'Asti (DOC)
- Grignolino d'Asti (DOC)
- Langhe (DOC)
- Loazzolo (DOC)
- Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti - also Casorzo or Malvasia di Casorzo (DOC)
- Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco (DOC)
- Monferrato (DOC)
- Nizza - formerly Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza (DOCG)
- Terre Alfieri (DOCG)
The Asti wine types / DOCG areas
The two wine types Asti Spumante (also known as Asti for short) and Moscato d'Asti were the first Italian sparkling wines to receive DOCG classification in 1994. Both were initially produced according to the Metodo italiano (Méthode charmat, tank fermentation), and later the Metodo Classico (bottle fermentation) variant was added for Asti Spumante.
The Asti DOCG zone comprises a total of 52 communes, mainly in the province of Asti (28 communes), but also extends into the provinces of Alessandria (9) and Cueno (15). The vineyards cover a total of 8,236 hectares of vines. There are three subzones: Canelli with municipalities in the two provinces of Asti and Cuneo, Santa Vittoria d'Alba with the municipality of the same name (Cuneo) and Strevi with municipalities in the province of Alessandria. In the case of Moscato d'Asti, these may additionally state their name on the label. Likewise, the term Vigna (exposed, hilly sites) may be used for Moscato d'Asti wines. The regulations vary in detail. They are in the actual or potential alcohol content (4.5 to 6.5% or 11% for Moscato d'Asti versus 7 to 9.5% or 12% for Asti Spumante) and in the carbon dioxide pressure with 1 bar only slightly sparkling for Moscato d'Asti versus 4 bar for Asti Spumante.
Asti Spumante DOCG
Until 2016, there was only a sweet version. Due to a huge drop in exports of over 30%, a dry Asti was also introduced from the 2017 vintage in secco, demi-sec and extra-secco versions. There are the wine types produced with tank fermentation as well as with bottle fermentation (with addition on the label: Metodo Classico or Metodo Tradizionale). There is also a variant Vendemmia Tardiva(late harvest), which must contain at least 97% Muscat Bianco. The best producers include Cascina Fonda, Ceretto, Cinzano, Contratto, Gancia, Fontanafredda, Martini & Rossi and Riccadonna. With around 80 million bottles a year, it is the world's top sparkling wine producer after Champagne and Cava.
Moscato d'Asti DOCG
A sweet, slightly sparkling wine; actually not even a frizzante, which should not be understood in a derogatory way. This wine, which is particularly popular in Italy, is milder, fruitier and far less sparkling than the Asti Spumante. The bottles are usually sealed with normal corks because of the low pressure and also bear a vintage indication. About four million bottles are produced annually. Well-known producers are Bera Walter, Cascina Fonda, Carbonere, Ceretto, Dogliotti-Caudrina, Gatti, La Spinetta, Marcarini, Saracco, Traversa and Vignaioli di Santo Stefano.
Canelli DOCG
In 2023, the historic Moscato d'Asti growing area (which is 17 communes around the town of Canelli with around 100 hectares of vineyards) was classified as an independent DOCG area called Canelli (see there).
Mixed drinks
In order to improve the image, it was decided in 2021 to break new ground in product positioning and to focus on mixed drinks and cocktails. The two aromatic wines are increasingly presented in a more modern and dynamic way in the bar scene. Bartender Giorgio Facchinetti has created a "Cocktail of Summer 2021" called "Asti Signature", which is mixed with Asti Spumante, pink grapefruit, basil and Sichuan pepper.
Asti: by Henri Bergius - Flickr: Villages and wineyards, CC BY-SA 2.0, link.
Bottle: by Nigab Pressbilder - Asti Cinzano on flickr, CC BY 2.0, link
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