Regions

Sweet-sparkling Asti Spumante and lightly frizzante Moscato d’Asti may share a grape, but their story is rooted in a 40 mile (60km) ribbon of UNESCO-listed hills between the Alps and Ligurian Sea. Here 24,500 acres (9,900 ha) of Moscato Bianco grapes absorb nearly 3,700 hours of sunshine each year while Alpine nights lock in acidity and limestone soils add a fresh mineral snap. The result is everything from feather-light, floral fizz to honey-rich Dolce wines—and it all comes from the patchwork you’re about to explore.

Getting a Lay of the Land

The Asti hills sit in Piemonte’s south-eastern corner, halfway between the snow-capped Alps and the Ligurian Sea. Think of the zone as a small green bowl, 40 miles (60km) wide, rimmed with hill-top villages, tucked neatly between Italy’s industrial north and its riviera south.

• Turin → Asti: 1hour – shoot down the A21 and you’re swirling Moscato before lunch.

• Milan → Asti: 1h30 m – two expressways, one espresso, you’re there.

• Genoa → Asti: 1h30 m – drive the sea-to-vineyard tunnel run, arrive with salt spray still on your windshield.

• Nice, France → Asti: 3 hours – over the Col di Tenda, past olive groves, straight into sweet bubbles.

Once inside Asti, vineyards rise quickly from 650 ft to 2,000 ft (200–600 m). Days are warm and continental, nights are cooled by Alpine air, often a 30°F (15 °C) swing.

Dawn fog rolls off the Tanaro river, afternoon breezes drift up from the Ligurian coast, and an ancient limestone seabed splits into two key layers: fast-draining sandstone crests for perfume and nerve, heavier marl shoulders for weight and sweetness. No wonder UNESCO stamped the landscape “World-Heritage” in 2014.

What Exactly Is a Sorì?

In Piedmontese dialect, a sorì is a steep, sun-facing slope, always south-to-south-west facing and often steeper than 40% (think black-diamond ski run).

Tractors slide off these slopes, so every vine is hand-pruned and hand-picked, tripling labour and concentrating quality. Only about 2,700 acres (1,080ha), barely 11% of the DOCG, meet the definition.

• High, cool sandstone sorì around Santo Stefano Belbo and Strevi push lime-blossom, sage, and zesty acidity into classic Moscato d’Asti.

• Lower marl sorì nearer Canelli trade altitude for plush peach fruit that underpins richer Dolce or Extra-Dry Asti styles.

Growers are lobbying for a dedicated Moscato d’Asti dei Sorì sub-designation, so watch this space.

Where to Spot a Village on the Label

Because sorì vineyards crowd the best hillsides, the villages that host them are the few place-names you’ll regularly see on bottles:

• Canelli – the historic cradle of Asti; steep sandstone terraces above 1150 feet (350m) often appear as Canelli or Vigna di Canelli. This area creates racy and floral Moscato.

• Strevi – cooler sandstone ridges that create fresh and elegant Moscato; look for “Strevi” or the rare Strevi DOC Passito.

• Nizza Monferrato – warmer marl soils leads to peachy Dolce styles.

• Santo Stefano Belbo – The source of many Sorì cuvées and gives aromatic intensity.

Top Tip: Village names rarely headline the label, but many producers note sites like “Sorì dei Fiori (Santo Stefano Belbo)” or “Vigneti di Strevi.” When you spot sorì or a village, expect a high quality wine with a steep-slope origin.

Key Appellations of Asti

Asti DOCG: Sweet sparkle, full pressure

Bottled at 5-7 bar, about the same pressure you’ll find inside a bottle of Champagne, Asti is Piemonte’s party fizz.

Fruit comes mainly from the lower, warmer marl slopes around Canelli and Santo Stefano Belbo and is made using the Martinotti method.

It ranges from Brut Nature (less than 6g/L sugar) to classic Dolce (90–110 g/L of sugar), delivering juicy peach, orange-blossom, and a vigorous mousse that lights up everything from brunch to birthday cake.

Dive deeper on the Asti DOCG page.

Moscato d’Asti DOCG: Feather-light frizzante

Capped at 1.7-2.5 bar, Moscato d’Asti sits closer to a craft-beer bottle than to Champagne for fizz level, letting its 4.5-6% ABV and apricot perfume take centre stage. Unlike Asti spumante, it’s always sweet and has between 90–110 g/L of residual sugar.

Fruit is sourced largely from the higher sandstone ridges of Castiglione Tinella and Strevi, creating floral and perfumed styles.

The gentle spritz and low alcohol make it a perfect match for spicy dishes, fruit desserts, or simply a chilled summer afternoon.

Explore the style on the Moscato d’Asti page.

Canelli DOCG - The Essence of Moscato d’Asti

Elevated to DOCG in 2023, Canelli is the historic cradle of Moscato, sourced only from 18 hillside communes around the town. Just 100 hectares (250 acres) are approved, with strict rules: vineyards must sit between 165–500 meters, excluding valley floors and shaded slopes, and all grapes are hand-harvested.

Always Moscato d’Asti in style (1.7–2 bar, 4.5–6% ABV, 90–110 g/L sugar), Canelli leans toward lime blossom, verbena, and stony tension, layered with peach, citrus, and wild rose. Bright and crystalline in the glass, it balances sweetness and freshness with a lingering finish.

A Riserva version, aged 30 months (20 in bottle), reveals unexpected complexity—candied fruit, spice, and mineral depth. Annual production across the DOCG is around 1 million bottles, making Canelli both rare and distinctive.

Strevi DOC – Piedmont’s Moscato Passito niche

On cooler sandstone north-east of Acqui, growers air-dry Moscato Bianco into Moscato Passito di Strevi: amber, marmalade-rich nectar at ≥ 14% ABV and often 150 g/L + residual sugar. One of Piemonte’s rarest bottles—and a perfect partner for blue cheese or hazelnut torta.

Region Facts & Figures

• Vineyard area: 24,500 acres (9,900 ha)

• Elevation band: 650 - 2,000 ft (200-600m)

• Gradient: sorì slopes up to 50%

• Production: ~100 M bottles (66 M Asti Spumante, 34M Moscato d’Asti)

• Key villages: Canelli, Santo Stefano Belbo, Strevi, Calosso, Mango, Castiglione Tinella

• 100 million bottles a year: 60 million Asti and 40 million Moscato d’Asti. (that’s about the same as Prosecco!)

• Average holding is less than 2 ha - Napoleonic inheritance laws still have an impact

• Over 4000 grape growers in the region

Sources

♦ Consorzio Asti DOCG official data