Italy’s Piedmont region is home to the delightful and refreshing wine Moscato d’Asti. If you’re thinking of a frothy, fizzy, fairly neutral wine, you may be thinking of its cousin, Asti Spumante. Many often confuse the two, which are produced in the region with the same moscato bianco grape.
In the past, when the trendy demand for Asti Spumante skyrocketed, the Piedmont area produced millions of bottles of this fizzy, easy-drinking style of wine, more than 80 million bottles a year, to be exact. But as with most trends, the demand dropped off as the world moved on to another more fashionable grape. However, because of the enormous amount of production and an astounding export volume, Moscato d’Asti became lumped with the cheap, cheerful, sweet Asti Spumante, leading consumers to think they were one and the same. For a refreshing light summer wine, consider a glass of the delightful Moscato d’Asti.
THE VALUES
- 2008 Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti Nivole, Italy 375 ml (about $14 retail)
- 2008 Il Conte d’Alba Moscato d’Asti, Italy (about $13, retail)
- NV Mezzacorona Moscato, Italy (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGES
- 2007 Marchesi di Barolo Moscato d’Asti, Italy (about $20 retail)
- NV Marco Negri Moscato d’Asti, Italy (about $19, retail)
- NV Umberto Fiore Moscato d’Asti, Italy (about $16 retail)