Consorzio dell’Asti DOCG: discovering history, tradition, art and great food

A journey through the scenic lands of Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti in an environment that is still unspoiled

Spumante and Moscato Wines from Asti is a fascinating journey through the past, present and future, born in the same territory where Italy itself originated. In 2022 Consorzio dell’Asti celebrated its 90th anniversary with an exhibition entitled “Novant’anni di bollicine” – “90 years of Bubbles.” The exhibition traced and celebrated 90 years of the Consortium’s history, written with the most famous Italian sparkling wine producers.

If you’re looking for an experience that takes you to the heart of the authentic spirit of an Italian winemaking region, you simply must visit the birthplace of Asti and Moscato d’Asti.

Situated in Piedmont, in the northwest of Italy, only a few kilometers from the foothills of the Alps, the shores of the Mediterranean and the flatlands of the Po valley, made fertile by Italy’s most important river, the areas of Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti have for centuries been the home of the Moscato Bianco varietal. This is an ancient vine found in many parts of the world, but which shows a particular predilection for the climate and soil of Piedmont, yielding aromatic grapes that express rare and unique scents and flavors that lie dormant when the varietal is grown in other places.

The Moscato Bianco varietal, whose golden bunches are the only ones destined to become Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, thrives on about 10 thousand hectares of vineyards stretched atop rolling hills in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo. The origins of the local soil are stratified sediments of a primordial ocean basin, giving this area a special geological profile and resulting in a variegated environment that man’s hand has shaped without infringing on its beauty.

Another must-see are the breathtaking panoramas of the hills, geometrically blanketed by the rows of grapevines, and the medieval towers and strongholds that are scattered throughout the countryside, as well as the natural splendors waiting to be discovered by excursionists. Last but not by any means least, there is the famously delectable cuisine of the area, which pairs artisanal cold cuts and cheeses and Asti Spumante or Moscato d’Asti, as well as healthy, farm-fresh meat and vegetables and classic Piedmont dishes like vitello tonnato, cold slices of roast veal in a creamy tuna sauce; agnolotti with “plin”, a traditional filled pasts in the shape of a classic candy, or old-time cakes like hazelnut torte and homemade pudding, made with eggs and cocoa. Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti are therefore the ideal ambassadors for a land that boasts so many excellences and that fully meets the demands of eco-tourism: green, sustainable, up to date and mindful.