Moscato d'Asti is one of the most sublime and delicate of all dessert wines, which should be consumed at its freshest and most youthful. Its very low level of alcohol makes it particularly light and soft on the palate, and especially gentle for consumption after dinner, when wines of greater alcoholic content have typically been consumed beforehand. The name "Nivole," which means "clouds" in Piedmontese dialect, appropriately suggests the wine's airy, elegant quality The fragrant, intensely fruity bouquet, offset by musky notes, leads to a refined sweetness supported by an excellent acid balance on the palate, with a suggestion of effervescence in the texture. The finish is clean and crisp, with a persistent flavor of grape and citrus characteristic of the variety.

Tasting notes

The 2007 NIVOLE is like a breath of summer in a glass. There is a wonderful aroma of white peach, apricot pear and slight floral finish. The wine is light and delicate yet full of intense flavors of sweet ripe pear and apricots. This is a perfect aperitif for an afternoon gathering.

Wine maker notes

Nivole is produced from a single vineyard at Torre de Cantini located in the commune of Canelli and situated on steep slopes of a gradient of approximately 35 degrees with an exposure facing south-southwest. Vines are planted to a density of 4,000 per hectare, with an average age of 25 years. Once harvested, the handpicked grapes are placed in pneumatic presses and once extracted, the must immediately lowered to a temperature of zero degrees centigrade (32 F) to prevent the onset of the alcoholic fermentation. The must is kept in this fashion until just before bottling, at which point the temperature is allowed to rise to 18 degrees centigrade (65 F) and the top of the tank is opened. A slow fermentation provoked by natural yeasts then ensues which is allowed to progress until the wine reaches an alcohol level of 5.5 percent and is then stopped by a sterile filtration which removes any remaining live yeasts. Residual sugar is adjusted to 11 percent by the addition of unfermented must of the moscato grape. The wine is then fined, filtered and immediately bottled. This technique preserves the characteristically aromatic, sweet fruit fragrance of the grape unique to Moscato Bianco.

Technical notes

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Moscato Bianco MAXIMUM YIELD: 100 quintals per hectare, corresponding to 75 hl/ha (approximately 335 cases/acre) MINIMUM ALCOHOL: potential 12%; developed 5.5% TOTAL ACIDITY: 6% - 6.5% AGING REQUIREMENTS: None