Ryan Robinson, Director of Education, Brescome Barton and Worldwide Wines.

The Many Faces of Asti DOCG

By Ryan Robinson

Mention Moscato to most American wine drinkers and you’ll probably get one of two reactions. The first is immediate recognition. The second is some version of, “Oh, that sweet wine.” Neither response is exactly wrong, but after spending time recently in the hills of Piemonte, I came home convinced of two things… what I thought I knew about Moscato was wrong AND that we have dramatically oversimplified one of Italy’s most recognizable grapes.

In many ways Moscato may be the perfect introductory wine. It is aromatic, immediately recognizable, generally low in alcohol and doesn’t require years of wine education to understand why it tastes good. Flavors of peach, apricot, orange blossom and fresh flowers practically jump out of the glass. For someone taking their first steps into wine, that accessibility is a gift. At the beginning of every semester, I ask my Wine Appreciation students at the University of New Haven what wine would they bring with them if they were stranded on a desert island? 90% of them reply with Moscato!

Moscato can be so much more than sweet hummingbird nectar. Give the same grape a distinctive vineyard, careful farming, a few years in bottle or a thoughtful place at the dinner table and it becomes something completely different. Moscato can be simple and inexpensive. It can also be fascinating, complex and surprisingly age-worthy. Perhaps that is its greatest strength. It has something for almost every wine personality; from someone buying their first bottle to the serious collector looking for something they have never tasted before.

Americans already know the name. The United States remains an enormously important market for Moscato d’Asti, and recent export figures have shown continued strength even while the broader wine category struggles with declining consumption. For buyers, that creates an unusual advantage. We don’t need to introduce consumers to Moscato. We need to show them all the personalities that Moscato can be.

A little history helps. Moscato Bianco has been cultivated in Piemonte for centuries, but modern production was shaped by developments in sparkling wine during the nineteenth century. Carlo Gancia brought techniques learned in Champagne back to Piemonte, while Federico Martinotti later developed pressurized tank fermentation…the more you know! Today, the grapes are gently pressed and the juice clarified and chilled, then fermentation takes place at controlled temperatures. With Moscato d’Asti, fermentation is stopped while natural sugar remains, retaining the grape’s unmistakable perfume along with its low alcohol and gentle sparkle. So no, sugar isn’t added, which is a common misconception.

The growing appellation is vast. Moscato d’Asti is not one uniform wine, even though we often sell it that way.

I had the chance to explore those differences during a recent trip devoted to Moscato d’Asti, including an educational masterclass with Consorzio director Giacomo Pondini in Mango and a visit to Ca’ d’Gal at Tenuta Valdivilla in Santo Stefano Belbo. Tasting the wines side by side made the point quickly. Some were intensely floral and delicate. Others leaned toward citrus, sage and fresh herbs. Some were dominated by peach and apricot, while others felt more savory and mineral. Where Moscato grows matters.

Moscato grapes drying at Morenco, used in its passito wine.

What became even more interesting was seeing how producers are challenging our assumptions about aging. At Ca’ d’Gal, bottles of Moscato are matured buried in sand. It initially sounds almost theatrical until you consider what the sand actually accomplishes. It blocks light, minimizes vibration around the bottle and helps stabilize temperature. In other words, it creates many of the same conditions we deliberately seek when cellaring serious wine. Applying those ideas to Moscato immediately forces us to reconsider the assumption that these wines should always be consumed as young as possible.

Marenco pushed that idea even further for me. Their Scrapona Moscato d’Asti comes from a single vineyard in the Bagnario Valley at Strevi, planted primarily on sand and marl. Tasting aged Moscato completely changes your expectations. The explosive flowers and fresh peach of youth begin developing into dried citrus, spice, honeyed notes and more complex aromas, while acidity and sugar help preserve the wine. A bottle that begins life as an incredibly accessible introduction to wine can develop into something that will fascinate an experienced taster years later.

Then there is Canelli DOCG. Canelli historically existed within the larger Asti framework but received its own DOCG. The denomination focuses entirely on Moscato Bianco grown within 17 municipalities surrounding Canelli, where greater emphasis is placed on vineyard site, altitude and exposure. There is even a Riserva category. Suddenly we are discussing Moscato using the same vocabulary we comfortably apply to Barolo, Brunello or Burgundy: site, provenance, aging and terroir.

Moscato has been pushed toward dessert for far too long. The sweetness and acidity can be outstanding with spicy Asian food, salty cheeses, charcuterie and dishes combining fruit with savory ingredients. Moscato can work at brunch, alongside appetizers, throughout a cheese course or simply as an aperitif. The sweetness is not a limitation when it is balanced by acidity. It becomes another tool for pairing food.

Mocato also belongs behind the bar. Michele Chiarlo’s Nivolistas project gives us a great example. The Nivole Spritz uses approximately 2.5 ounces of Nivole Moscato d’Asti, 1.75 ounces of Aperol and 0.75 ounce of sparkling water, served over ice with orange. Suddenly Moscato has moved out of the dessert section and directly into happy hour. It works because Moscato is already bringing aroma, sweetness, acidity, bubbles and relatively low alcohol into the glass.

Put a single-vineyard Moscato d’Asti beside the familiar bottle. Open something with age. Talk about Ca’ d’Gal and its sand aging. Give Canelli DOCG some room on the shelf. Pour Asti Spumante by the glass. Pair Moscato with savory food. Use it in a cocktail. It’s versatility is limitless.

Moscato can welcome someone into the wine world without intimidating them and still have enough complexity to keep them interested years later. I can’t think of many grapes that can do both.

Ryan Robinson is the Director of Education for Brescome Barton and Worldwide Wines in Connecticut. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven and holds the credentials of Advanced Sommelier-CMS; WSET Diploma and WSET Educator in Wine, Sake and Beer; Rioja Wine Educator; Wine Scholar Guild Educator and Spanish Wine Specialist; and Certified Scotch Whisky Professional from the Council of Whiskey Masters.