Italy - Asti

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

• Asti, Cuneo, and Allessandria in the Peidmont region

Question 2

Viticulture

Answer 2

• vine density is 4k vines / ha and permitted yields of 10 ton / ha
• average size vineyard is 6 acres
• this creates a lot of fragmentation

Question 3

Grapes

Answer 3

• Moscato Bianco (Blanc a Petit Grains)

Question 4

VInification

Answer 4

• The shortened cuvee close or asti method is far superior than the traditional method for this aromatic sweet sparkling wine
• it’s quality is the freshness of the fruit which will gain nothing from extended ageing
• pressed with a max 75% extraction
• takes 1 kilo of grapes to make a single bottle of Asti
• must is fined and filtered to remove microbial instabilities and then chilled down to 0
• it is kept chilled until needed and then quickly fermented in tanks back by batch over the course of the year.
• fermentation is stopped when the desired level of alc is reached
• this leaves RS in the bottle
• first batch usually a blend of old and new vintage to keep house style
• extrememly sensitive to light and tempearure
• does not benefit from age due to geraniol component which can turn to an off geranium smell over time

Question 5

Asti

Answer 5

• made entirely from Moscato (muscat blanc a petit grains) grapes grown throughout the 53 communes of Asti, Cuneo, and Allessandria in the Peidmont region
• promoted to DOCG status in 1993 and rename

Question 6

Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains

Answer 6

• Moscato Bianco

- principle grape of Asti

Question 7

Style

Answer 7

• most asti’s are a regional blend but differences within sub-regions do appear
  Alessandria produces grapes that ripen earlier and that are higher in potential alc and lower in acidity
  Moscato naturally low in acidity so it’s good for Castiglione Tinella where the asti’s are fresher and finer
• style is based on alcohol level, RS, and fizz
• Asti higher in alc and fizz than Moscato d’Asti
• RIpest and best grapes reserved for Moscato d’Asti

Question 8

Production

Answer 8

• 107 million bottles in 2011
• large bottlers and negociant houses have dominated production due to the vineyard fragmentation
• combination of large scale production w/ small scale viticulture has made Asti somewhat a blended wine from many sources, masking the differences of the sites and zones
• single vineyard productions are starting to be more common
• never gone out of style
• in 2000’s it got a huge boost from rappers including them in their songs
• this has led to a request to increase production and vineyard areas
• some fear that would compromise quality