Moscato d'Asti DOCG is an excellent sweet and aromatic wine made from the Moscato Bianco grape, which has been cultivated in Italy for a very long time, and is a famous wine produced in the Piedmont region.

History and origins of Moscato d'Asti DOCG

One of the oldest grapes cultivated in Italy, the history of Moscato dates back to the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, when Greek colonists imported it into Italy and the Romans later spread it throughout Europe. Moscato d'Asti DOCG is a wine which is closely linked to the region and to the hard work of the farmers; in fact, there are written records attesting to the cultivation of Moscato in Piedmont as early as 1300.

In the 15th century, Giovan Battista Croce from Milan moved to Piedmont as a jeweller to the Duke of Savoy and began experimenting with the production of sweet wines in his vineyard. To this day, he is considered the inventor of the Moscato d'Asti production method.

In the modern era, Moscato gained more and more fame and in 1932 the Consortium for the Protection of Asti was founded, with the aim of protecting and enhancing the product worldwide. The DOCG (Designation of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) - the highest category in the Italian wine classification - arrived in 1993.

What does Moscato d'Asti mean? The term Moscato derives from "muscum", the Latin word for musk, meaning perfumed, and these grapes found their best expression in the area of Asti, the capital city of the province of the same name located in the Piedmont region.

Moscato d'Asti DOCG: how and where is it produced?

The famous aromatic grape variety from which one of the most famous Italian white wines is derived is cultivated in particularly favourable years, in the Piedmont provinces of Asti, Cuneo and Alessandria, on hills with limestone-clay soils and good exposure to the sun. Moscato d'Asti DOCG is produced in purity using only white Moscato grapes, cultivated according to the Guyot method, a growing system which allows the vines to grow vigorously.

All of these factors contribute to the development of the olfactory nuances and aromatic qualities of the grapes from which these fine wines are made. The harvesting begins in early September. The freshly harvested and carefully selected grapes are subjected to a series of local and traditional techniques. Pressing and vinification take place in steel vats to allow the wine to ferment and reach the expected alcohol volume and give it its distinctive characteristics.

Characteristics, pairings and serving temperature

People who love sweet wines will certainly appreciate Moscato d'Asti DOCG, an excellent dessert wine, and it is recommended to be drunk on its own or as an accompaniment to certain foods. In fact, according to the farmers who work the vineyards, this sweet wine is also surprisingly suitable to accompany a savoury snack!

Recommended pairings, by contrast or concordance, are definitely with fruit and desserts. But Moscato d'Asti is also perfect with cheese or spicy food, like Moscato d'Asti DOCG Palás with ham and melon, or Moscato d'Asti DOCG 2021 with a good tiramisu or cake.

With very special organoleptic characteristics, this particular wine has a more or less intense straw-yellow colour, and a distinctive nose with a floral and fruity aroma. The flavour is sweet but light and drinkable, with a good balance. The ideal serving temperature for Moscato d'Asti is 12º.

What's the difference between Moscato d'Asti and Asti Spumante?

The Asti DOCG denomination includes various vinification techniques for Moscato grapes, which, in addition to Moscato d'Asti, give rise to different types of wines:

• 'Asti' or 'Asti Spumante': these wines undergo sparkling in autoclaves. If the words 'Metodo Classico' are also present, the fermentation must be natural in the bottle, as required by the traditional method and the production specifications.
• 'Moscato d'Asti vendemmia tardiva': as the name implies, the harvest takes place later than the others, to allow the grapes to reach the right sugar concentration; subsequently, the wine must undergo a period of ageing of at least one year.

The differences, apart from the method of production and the type of wine, also lie in the different smells, tastes and colours of the wines. The minimum alcohol by volume of Moscato d'Asti is between 4.50 and 6.50 per cent, so it's typically a low-alcohol wine. Sparkling wine is produced on a large scale while Moscato d'Asti DOCG is synonymous with care and craftsmanship.

Now that Moscato d'Asti DOCG holds no more secrets, you have everything you need to treat yourself to a relaxing moment accompanied by the sweet wines which Svinando has selected for you!