Discovering the pearl of Piemente: Asti DOCG wine
Asti or Asti Spumante is a sweet DOCG wine, the most exported and known Italian wine in the World.
Its DOCG certification “Asti” is only for two wines:
a) Spumante wine (“Asti” or “Asti Spumante”);
b) Non-Spumante White wine (“Moscato d’Asti”)
First of all it is necessary to highlight the differences between Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, that even if it is produced with Moscato bianco and the same certification “Asti” are two different wines.
The production of “Asti Spumante” and “Moscato d’Asti” is allowed only in the territories of 52 municipalities in the provinces of Asti, Cuneo and Alessandria.
In 1934 it has been recognized as a Protection Consortium of Asti wine.
Historical hints
Moscato bianco is a vine variety with ancients roots that come from the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, with which it was produced a sweet wine that till the end of the ‘300 was spread in the Italian peninsula with the name if “Greek wine”.
Giovan Battista Croce, the jewellery of Savoy Duke Carlo Emanuele I, was the first to produce some wines obtained by experiments carried on techniques still used today.
In 1865, Carlo Gancia, applied its techniques of spumantization of Champagne to the Moscato grapes, obtaining a sweet wine and with a low alcoholic volume.
In XX century the techniques has been perfected thanks to Martinotti; it is important to give him credits to have empowered the system of filtering under pressure.
Vine variety and production techniques
The production of this wine is allowed only starting from the 100% of Moscato grapes. The vine variety should be planted on hill territories and all the vinification techniques should be held in the DOC area. The secondary fermentation is made through Martinotti Method (Charmat).
Organoleptic properties
DOCG Asti wine has an unavoidable aroma of musk from the original grapes and it reminds wisteria, linden, peach and peach. It has notes of sage, lemons and orange blossoms.
When DOCG wine “Moscato d’Asti” arrives on the market, it has to have the following characteristics:
– Clearness: bright;
– Colour: straw yellow;
– Smell: peculiar, fragrant;
– Taste: sweet, peculiar
When the certified DOCG wine “Asti Spumante” arrives on the market is has to have the following characteristics:
– Foam: thin and persistant;
– Clearness: from straw yellow to golden;
– Smell: peculiar but delicate;
– Taste: peculiar, sweet but well-balanced.
It has to be served really cold (6° – 8° C) and it is excellent with desserts.
Imagine source: www.sifoodmagazine.it