Vini Bianchi: the White Wines
Asti Spumante – The best known sweet white sparkling wines of this region, Asti Spumante is made from the Moscato grape. Millions of bottles are exported from
Italy
every year. Asti Spumante refers to a fully sparkling wine with straightforward sweet and fruity flavour, which is best enjoyed on its own or as a dessert selection.
Moscato D’Asti – This aromatic wine is not so well known outside
Italy
as Spumanti. It is a finer wine, made from the finest, most select of the Moscato grapes, which are often harvested late and cite the name of the vineyard. Moscato d’Asti is one of the world’s great wine styles. It is a golden straw coloured wine with a minimum overall strength of 4.5% by volume. This is a delicate, delicious low alcohol wine, with natural fruit sweetness and a light fizz. Moscato d’Asti has about half the carbonation of a typical sparkling wine, and is released very soon after the vintage to preserve its uniquely fresh character. It is extremely aromatic with a famously complex perfume; its mild level of sweetness is counterbalanced by vibrant acidity. Moscato d’Asti makes an exceptional dessert wine but is also versatile enough to have as an aperitif. Served alone, it is one of the most refreshing wines in the world, and one would be hard pressed to find something better for a hot summer day. Some might even suggest that if you are going to serve wine at breakfast, then this is the one. Moscato d’Asti is always best consumed within two years of the vintage. Recommended tasting temperature is 6–8 degrees centigrade and it benefits from being served in a chalice.
