{"id":181719,"date":"2019-06-28T15:11:59","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T13:11:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/langhe.net\/?p=181719"},"modified":"2022-08-01T17:10:46","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T15:10:46","slug":"wandering-around-the-moscato-hills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langhe.net\/en\/181719\/wandering-around-the-moscato-hills\/","title":{"rendered":"Wandering around the Moscato hills"},"content":{"rendered":"

I want something floral<\/strong> to boost my mood, not too high on alcohol to be a bit euphoric<\/strong> and tipsy, but sober enough to enjoy the summer night<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And bubbles! Gentle and elegant to coat the endless aperitivo\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Did you get enough hints<\/strong> to recognize the careless child from the hills of Langhe and Monferrato?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Moscato d\u2019Asti<\/a> – a solution to both serious celebrations and casual aperitivo hours<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The privilege of being \u2018frizzante\u2019<\/h2>\n

Bubbly, but not too much, or, officially semi-sparkling<\/strong>, it\u2019s an effervescent wine that retains its\u2019 intense fruit and floral<\/strong> aromas and a balance<\/strong> between sugar, alcohol and acidity.<\/p>\n

The difference comes from fermentation<\/strong> – as Moscato d\u2019Asti goes through only one<\/strong> fermentation, while a sparkling wine (for example a metodo classico wine from Alta Langa DOCG<\/a>) would have a second fermentation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

As a result, there is an around 100 g\/l of residual sugar<\/strong> left and low level of alcohol<\/strong> (around 5 % abv).<\/p>\n

Because it\u2019s sweet but not excessively sickly, and because it\u2019s slightly bubbly<\/strong>, but not fully sparkling, it\u2019s easily paired with both sweet and contrasting food<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A harmonious, logical pairing is sweet with sweet<\/strong>. Where the presence of CO2<\/strong> in the wine perfectly suits the soft texture of cakes.<\/p>\n

Then the contrasting pairing<\/strong>, although surprising for most people outside of Piedmont, is very typical for locals<\/strong>. Moscato d\u2019Asti was created to be paired with cheese, salami, savoury snacks from the area.<\/p>\n

This way, carbon dioxide cleans the grease<\/strong> and mouth, while the sweetness of wine and savoury taste of snacks show a pleasantly remarkable contrast.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n

Fun facts from the history of Moscato d\u2019Asti<\/h2>\n

Have you ever wondered, how comes that someone came up with the idea of creation<\/strong> of this or that wine?<\/p>\n

Why would someone make a wine that is a bit sparkling<\/strong>, a bit sweet, a bit floral and fruity? Well, in the case of Moscato there is an answer<\/strong> to it.<\/p>\n

Farmers needed a wine to drink during the working day<\/strong> – in the field, or while taking care of the cattle.<\/p>\n

Water wasn\u2019t quite a popular drink back those times. So the wine had to satisfy two requirements – to be low on alcohol (no labour outages, please!) and able to clean the mouth after the aforementioned snacks.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A perfectly described Moscato d\u2019Asti!<\/p>\n

The modern production of Moscato d\u2019Asti begun in 1870<\/strong>, while the grape variety is one of the oldest<\/strong> in Piedmont area, and internationally – around a thousand years older than Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Know what to expect when drinking Moscato d\u2019Asti<\/h2>\n

Winemakers face serious competition<\/strong> when it comes to harvesting Moscato Bianco (the grape variety used for the Moscato d\u2019Asti wine). Bees and birds<\/strong> go crazy about the sweet aromas of the grape – many producers end up covering their vineyards<\/strong> with nets when the grape is almost ripe.<\/p>\n

Classical aromas<\/strong> that you will encounter in your glass of Moscato d\u2019Asti are peach, pear, mandarin, linden, sage, orange and jasmine blossom. The top cru<\/strong> wines from the region will be aged on lees<\/strong> – that will add subtle aromas of crust bread and pastry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Expect also sweetness, that is well balanced<\/strong> with fresh acidity and much lighter alcohol<\/strong> than most of the sweet wines would offer (5 % abv against 12,5 % abv in Hungarian Tokaji<\/strong>, for example).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n

Know the basics of the Charmat method to value the magic of Moscato wine<\/h2>\n

Charmat-Martinotti<\/strong> or tank method normally (in the world of sparkling wines) means that the second fermentation is done in autoclave<\/strong> insulated stainless steel tank. However, with our frizzante Moscato d\u2019Asti, there is only one fermentation<\/strong> to achieve the bubbles.<\/p>\n

After careful manual harvest<\/strong> and transportation of berries in small baskets, the grape juice (must) is kept cool<\/strong>, so that fermentation doesn\u2019t start. Moscato d\u2019Asti is made one tank at a time<\/strong> to preserve the fresh fruity aromas and sparkles. This way the wine that is on sale is always fresh<\/strong> and always available.<\/p>\n

The grape contains lots of sugar, it\u2019s more difficult to control and stop it<\/strong> on time, than starting it. As soon as the wine reaches 5-6 % abv<\/strong>, it\u2019s cooled down to stop the activity of yeasts, filtered and bottled. The top cru wines will be left to rest on lees<\/strong> for some months before bottling.<\/p>\n

All this ensures that the Moscato d\u2019Asti you drink is:<\/p>\n