Marchesi di Barolo makes this in Piedmont, from Moscato grown on the hills around Asti. It is a sweet white wine with a light body and low tannin, and at 5% alcohol it is one of the gentlest wines on any list.
- Moscato, the grape behind Moscato d'Asti.
- Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Piedmont, northern Italy.
- 2022 vintage, 5% alcohol.
- Sweet, light-bodied, medium acidity.
How it is made
Moscato d'Asti is only lightly sparkling, and that is deliberate. The wine is stopped early in its fermentation, while sugar and a small amount of carbon dioxide are still in it, which is why the bubbles are soft rather than aggressive and the alcohol stays low. The DOCG rules for the appellation cover a small zone of hills in Piedmont, and only Moscato Bianco may be used.
How it tastes
White peach and apricot lead, with orange blossom and a thread of honey underneath. Medium acidity keeps it from sitting flat, and the perlage is fine and plentiful rather than coarse. The finish is clean and gently sweet.
Good to know
Moscato d'Asti is one of the few wines in the world that is bottled with its fermentation still unfinished, and the style has been made in these hills for centuries. Zagara is the Italian word for orange blossom, the aroma the grape is best known for.
