Asti - Northern Italy Sparkling Wines Flashcards
(25 cards)
What region is Asti DOCG & Moscato D’Asti DOCG in?
Piemonte/Piedmont
What does Piedmont mean?
“at the foot of the mountain”
What is the significance of Piedmont’s location?
It is surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, the mountains fade into hills which give way to a plain in the middle.
What are the ‘Underground Cathedrals’?
They are caves and tunnels underneath the city that store wine.
4 cellars offer public tours
What is Canelli?
It is the heart of Asti production and has Underground Cathedrals
What are the two main types of sparkling wines from Asti, Northern Italy?
Asti DOCG & Moscato d’Asti DOCG
These wines are sweet and sparkling and represent the best expressions of the Moscato grape.
Where is the Asti and Moscato d’Asti DOCG winegrowing area located?
In the long rolling Hills of the Piemonte region, specifically within the Monferrato area
This area has been growing Moscato Bianco since the Middle Ages.
What geographical feature characterizes the vineyards of the Asti and Moscato d’Asti DOCG?
Most vineyards are in the southwest quadrant on durprisingly steep grades
This terrain necessitates a manual grape harvest.
What is the heart of the Asti production area?
The town of Canelli
Moscato di Canelli is also a synonym for Moscato Bianco.
What is the official name of the grape used for Asti and Moscato d’Asti?
Muscat à Petits Grains Blanc in French
Moscato Bianco in Italian
What are the primary flavor characteristic of Moscato wines?
They capture intense fragrance, creating an alluring floral and fruity, sweet sparkling wine
Moscato wines are known for their aromatic qualities and sweetness, making them distinctive in the wine world.
What is the acidity level of Moscato wines?
Moderate
Describe the body of Moscato wines.
Light-bodied, low in alcohol
List common descriptors used for Moscato wines.
Aromatic, Orange blossom, Sage, Peach, Aprico, Grapey, Honey
What types of food pair well with Moscato wines?
Desserts, especially fresh fruit, pound cake with fruit, and fruit-based desserts and pastries
The sweet and fruity nature of Moscato complements various desserts.
Notable producers Asti:
Who is Carlo Gancia?
The founder considered the pioneer of Asti sparkling production
Notable producers Asti:
Name one of the largest and best-known producers of Asti.
Martini & Rossi
Notable producers Asti:
What is Cinzano famous for besides its wines?
Marketing posters
Cinzano is recognized for its creative marketing as well as its contribution to sparkling wines.
Notable producers Moscato d’Asti:
What is Michele Chiarlo credited with regarding Moscato d’Asti?
Convincing consumers outside of Italy that Moscato d’Asti could be a serious wine.
Notable producers Moscato d’Asti: What is unique about La Spinetta’s contribution to Moscato?
Produced the first-ever, single-vineyard bottling of Moscato in Italy, Bricco Quaglia Moscato
Notable producers Moscato d’Asti: Who runs Elio Perrone’s winery now?
Stefano Perrone, a retired champion motocross racer
What is a key difference in production methods between Asti DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG?
Asti is fully sparkling while Moscato d’Asti is lightly fizzy and made from the best grapes making it superior quality
How are Asti DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG similar and what production method do they use?
They both use 100% Moscato Bianco grapes
They are made with the tank method
Describe the profile of Asti DOCG
- Fully sparkling
- most is sweeter, but balanced by acidity low alcohol
- usually not vintage dated
- large scale producers dominate production
