I recently went on a Grappa tour that ended in the town of Asti which is located in the Piemonte region in northern Italy. The area is famous for Asti Spumante, a sweet, aromatic sparkler, that is often enjoyed at celebrations due to its easy drinking characteristics. Our group set out to enjoy a sparkling finish to our tour with 5th generation winemaker, Stefano Ricagno at Cuvage.


In the tasting room:
Acquesi Moscato d'Asti Casarito- Intensely aromatic and fresh, it differs from other Asti DOCG wines in that the fermentation process is halted when the alcohol content reaches about 5% by volume. Moscato d’Asti is not a true Spumante though it still has a lively sparkle. It has a sweet taste, but is not cloying, it tastes more like a ripe peach, than candy. This wine showed notes of honeysuckle, white peach and mint, with a fresh, juicy finish.


Following our tasting room experience, we headed out into the neighboring vineyard in Strevi where Stefano Ricagno showed examples of some of the local grapevines, Moscato, Barbera, and Brachetto. We had the opportunity to taste some grapes off the vine and take in some beautiful views. After our vineyard tour, we went to lunch in Acqui Terme at Ristorante La Curia. Stefano ordered an antipasti array to enjoy while we continued our tasting which included a sampling of three local dishes: rabbit salad, Russian salad, and calamari on creamy basil. My entree of truffled risotto arrived in time to enjoy with the second Cuvage wine.
At the table:
At the table:
Acquesi Rosé Brut - Dry and crisp with a delicate mousse and cranberry flavors with a slight salinity to the finish.
Cuvage Brut Rosé - This wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo in the same way as Champagne, called Metodo Classico in Italy, this wine had a persistent mouse with red fruit notes and hints of bread.
Cuvage Cuvage Pas Dosage - No dosage sparkling wine also made Metodo Classico from 60% Pinot Nero, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Nebbiolo. This wine spent 36 months on its lees giving it freshness and a fuller body. With bakery notes and baking spices, this crisp, dry, sparkler has a distinct mineral finish from the limestone soils where the vines are grown.


An assortment of local cheese arrived to the table to enjoy with a sweet Asti Spumante. This wine is made by Stefano's family. The wine is made from 100% white Canelli Moscato from Alto Monferrato.
Ca’ dei Mandorli - Sweet and sparkling with notes of honey and sage.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for reading Wine Life - Houston.