MOSCATO D'ASTI DOCG "NIVOLE" MICHELE CHIARLO

FORMAT: 0.75L
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% WHITE MOSCATO
VINTAGE: 2019
PLACE: PIEDMONT - ITALY
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 5%VOL

THE NIVOLE VINEYARD..

The territory of choice for the Moscato Bianco grape variety was already limited, at the end of the nineteenth century, to "that group of hills and valleys" bordered to the north by Asti and the Tanaro river, to the south by the Bormida river and "constituting, as a whole, an area which can rightly be called Moscato area ”.

Within this area, defined by Strucchi, author of a fundamental monograph on this vine, as “the most important by far of all the others”, there are “a series of contiguous municipalities” where Moscato is cultivated on purpose and not only occasionally, giving its best results.

Among the municipalities listed by Strucchi are Calosso, Canelli, Castiglione Tinella, Mango and S. Stefano Belbo, to form the area that much later would rightfully become the recognized homeland of Moscato d'Asti DOCG.

THE VINTAGE

“The winter is finally snowy. The first months of the year are characterized by rain and snow with accumulations in the vineyards of the Langhe up to 60 centimeters. In the month of March it never rains and the temperatures are always above average leading to an early start of vegetation. These conditions made us think of another early and hot year, but it will not be exactly like that. At the beginning of April, two nights with temperatures below zero arrive which damage many shoots from halfway up the hill and above, especially in the hills of Monferrato causing damage of around 30% of the grape production. In mid-May the year seems to be late, the vines slowly stretch out, at night the temperatures are never high and the wind is always cold. In the first week of June all the varieties are in full bloom and some Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes are already set. The last two weeks of June are hot, with average temperatures and with storms that bring 20-30 mm of rain. From this period begins a long hot (never torrid) and dry summer, which continues in the month of September with milder daytime temperatures. The last two weeks of August are dedicated to thinning out the most abundant vineyards. The harvest takes place in the classic timing with grapes with complete health and ripeness. The harvest takes place in the classic timing for each vine. The Moscato begins on September 6th, Moscato because there was perfect health, a great richness of sugars in balance with an optimal acidity but above all a richness of terpene aromas (white flowers, white peach, moss, sage). The taste is creamy, long and with a pleasant finish that leaves the mouth fresh and clean.” Stefano Chiarlo, winemaker

VINIFICATION:

Soft pressing of the whole grapes; the must is stored in steel at -2°C, then a slow fermentation takes place in autoclaves at a controlled temperature until reaching 5 degrees of alcohol. During this process part of the carbon dioxide developed during fermentation remains "trapped" in the wine giving it its natural light effervescence. Before bottling the wine was then subjected to micro-filtration to give it transparency, purity and to interrupt any further fermentation of the yeasts

THE WINE:

Bright straw yellow, floral on the nose, typical Moscato aromas, with notes of peach and apricot. Creamy, fragrant in the mouth, with a pleasant fine bubble and a particular freshness on the finish that leaves the mouth pleasantly clean.

SERVING TEMPERATURE : 10° C