10 Asti

Question 1

Where are the Asti DOCG and the Moscato d’Asti DOCG located?

Answer 1

• north Italy
• Piemonte
• three provinces: Asti, Alexandria and Cuneo

Question 2

Describe the style of Asti DOCG and the Moscato d’Asti DOCG

Answer 2

• sparkling
• low alcohol
• pronounced aromas of orange blossom, grapes and peach
• medium acidity
• sweet
• good to very good quality
• inexpensive or mid-priced
• Asti DOCG is slightly higher in alcohol and fully sparkling
• Moscato d’Asti DOCG is lower in alcohol, semi-sparkling and higher in residual sugar

Question 3

How is Asti DOCG and the Moscato d’Asti DOCG produced?

Answer 3

Asti method (modification of the tank method)

Question 4

Which grape variety is used for Asti DOCG and the Moscato d’Asti DOCG?

Answer 4

Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains)

Question 5

Describe the climate conditions in the Asti DOCG region

Answer 5

• moderate continental
• cold winters
• hot and dry summers
• adequate rainfall (spring and autumn are the rainiest seasons) which can affect fruit set

Question 6

Name the regulations for the locations of the vineyards

Answer 6

• grapes has to grow on hillside sites (for better sunlight interception and better drainage)
• preference for limestone and clay soils

Question 7

What is the maximum allowed yield?

Answer 7

75hl/ha for tank method wines

Question 8

Name the facts of the Moscato Bianco grape

Answer 8

• early budding
• mid-ripening variety
• small berries
• prone to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot (need carefully canopy management)
• thin skin
• due to its scent (Duft) attractive to bees, wasps and flying ants which feed on the fruit
• susceptible to mites

Question 9

Which training system is typically used in the Asti DOCG?

Answer 9

Guyot training with VSP (vertical shoot positioning)

Question 10

Why is the VSP an ideal training system?

Answer 10

• good exposure to sunlight
• avoiding excessive humidity and risk of fungal disease
• ensure good ripening of the fruit

Question 11

Which soil gives the most aromatic juice?

Answer 11

limestone

Question 12

Why is clay soil also used for planting vines?

Answer 12

due to the commercial success

Question 13

How is the harvest date decided?

Answer 13

• ripeness of the fruit
• desired acidity (to balance the sweetness of the final wine)
• normally in early or mid-September (well before the October rains)

Asti grapes are picked slightly earlier to ensure high acidity
Moscato d’Asti grapes are picked slightly later for high aromatic intensity

Question 14

How are the grapes harvested?

Answer 14

• hand harvesting on steeper slopes or where whole bunches are desired
• machine harvesting is used when it is possible

Question 15

Which are the two phases of the Asti production?

Answer 15

first phase:

• production, clarification and filtration of the must
• chilling and storage of the must (maintain the freshness for later production)
• must is kept for up to two years

second phase:
- single fermentation in the tank on demand

Question 16

Why is the first phase of the production cost intensive?

Answer 16

• due to investments in large heat exchangers and refrigerated storage space
• ongoing energy cost for both

Question 17

Name the final alcohol and sweetness used of Asti DOCG

Answer 17

• traditionally 6-8% abv.
• sweet with around 100g/l residual sugar
• recent modifications of the regulations allow higher alcohol an thus dryer styles (Extra Dry to Dolce (sweet))
• Brut Nature is in the process of being approved

Question 18

Name the final alcohol and sweetness used of Moscato d’Asti DOCG

Answer 18

• 4,5-6,5% abv.
• sweeter than Asti DOCG with around 130g/l residual sugar
• must not exceed 2,5bar pressure (frizzante style)

Question 19

How much per cent of all wines produced is done by the four biggest companies?

Answer 19

60%

Question 20

Which is the largest producer?

Answer 20

Martini & Rossi

Question 21

How dose the small producers produce the wine?

Answer 21

they send the grapes to specialist sparkling wine firms

Question 22

Which is the very important role of the co-operatives?

Answer 22

they provide chilled, clarified and filtered juice for large companies (e.g. Martini & Rossi source 35% of the grapes from 300 grower and 70% of the juice from co-operatives)

Question 23

Which are the three types of Asti?

Answer 23

• Asti (also called: Asti Dolce)
• Moscato d’Asti
• Asti Secco (off-dry style)

Question 24

Why was the Asti Secco introduced?

Answer 24

to compete in the popular off-dry sector (e.g Prosecco, suited dryer styles of aperitifs and casual drinks)

Question 25

To which overarching promotion body the Asti consortium belongs to?

Answer 25

Piemonte Land of Perfection

Question 26

How is the export split?

Answer 26

• large majority is sold in Europe

- increasing export to the USA

Question 27

How is the proportion of Asti and Moscato d’Asti split?

Answer 27

• 70% Asti

- 30% Moscato d’Asti