Asti

Question 1

Asti Method

Answer 1

• variation of the tank method that produces a sparkling wine in a single fermentation
• the sugar comes from the sugar in the original must (not through later tirage)
• must is fermented in reinforced tanks - about halfway through the valve is closed and CO2 is retained (versus released)
• timing of this depends on the amount of RS desired in the final wine
• the wine continues to ferment during which the sugar levels continue to fall and pressure in the tank increases
• once desired level of RS and pressure is obtained, fermentation is stopped by rapidly chilling wine and filtering it under pressure to remove the yeast

Question 2

Moscato Bianco

Answer 2

• Italian name for Muscat a Petit a Grains
• aromatic, early budding, mid-ripening variety with a small berry size
• thin skinned
• prone to powdery mildew and botrytis rot (needs careful canopy management - typically VSP + Guyot)
• it’s perfumed scent makes it attractive to insects and mites
• clonal selection has sought to make it more resistant to disease, perfumed and higher yielding

Question 3

Asti DOCG (Asti Spumante)

Answer 3

• slightly higher in alcohol (6-8%)
• Sweet (around 100g/L)
• fully sparkling

*Asti Metodo Classico - wine must spend a minimum of 9 mos on the lees in bottle and must be Dolce in sweetness (+ 50g/L RS)

Question 4

Moscato d’Asti DOCG

Answer 4

• lower in alcohol (4.5-6.5%)
• higher RS (around 130g/L)
• Frizzante in style (must not exceed 2.5 atmospheres)

Question 5

Asti Wine Business

Answer 5

• dominated by 4 companies (because Asti requires high levels of equipment and storage space)
• Martini & Rossi = more than 60%
• Coops play important role - providing chilled, clarified and filtered juice to the large companies who then carry out fermentation
• 3 types of Asti wine being promoted
  1) Moscato d’Asti
  2) Asti Secco (off dry) - allows the region to compete with regions like Prosecco
  3) Asti Dolce (traditional / sweet wine)

Question 6

Asti Growing Environment

Answer 6

• moderate continental with hot, dry summers
• adequate rainfall with spring and autumn as the rainiest seasons
• regulations require grapes to be grown on hillsides (for better sunlight

Question 7

Asti Soils

Answer 7

Clay and Limestone but the most aromatic grapes are grown on limestone. Clay plantings added because of commercial success

Question 8

Asti Harvest Considerations

Answer 8

• determined based on desired acidity as the acid is needed to balance the final sweetness of the wine
• early to mid September, well before October rains
• Asti: picked slightly earlier for the acid
• Moscato d’Asti: slightly later for aromatic intensity
• hand harvesting on steeper slopes, mechanical harvest being increasingly used where possible as it is much cheaper

Question 9

2 phases of Asti winemaking

Answer 9

1. Production, Clarification, Filtration of the must followed by chilling and storage. Must that is not immediately required is refrigerated to be maintained in the freshest possible condition for fermentation when there is demand
   * *idea is to release wine with the freshest primary fruit flavors throughout the year
   * *must can be kept for up to two years without losing the aromatics
2. Single Fermentation of warmed up must when there is demand

**these often happen on 2 different sites