Moscato d’Asti is one of Piedmont’s most misunderstood wines: often dismissed as “too sweet” because of low-quality mass-market bottles, yet capable of extraordinary finesse when produced with care. This guide explains how real Moscato d’Asti DOCG is made, why quality varies so much, and how to recognize the producers who do it right.

The Truth About Moscato: Good, Bad, and Ugly

I am going to let it out — the good, the bad, and unfortunately the ugly about the Moscato grape and its wines. I talk to a lot of people and most tell me that they are not fans of Moscato d’Asti. When they were younger and willing to try this slightly sweet, fizzy wine, they were often surprised by how sweet and unbalanced many of the bottles available in supermarkets can be.

There are many reasons why it’s easier to find a bad Moscato than a good one. So here’s how to recognize quality and choose the right bottle.

How Moscato Is Harvested

When Moscato is picked, it is harvested by hand. In the Asti–Langhe area, steep slopes make machine harvesting impossible and dangerous, so hand picking is essential. Workers check every bunch to remove any rotten or raisin-like berries.

Grapes are placed in small plastic crates with ventilation holes. This prevents overheating during warm days and avoids premature fermentation if a berry breaks during transport.

If the grapes arrive hot, they are cooled before crushing — sometimes with dry ice — to preserve the delicate aromatics. Grapes go through a crusher–destemmer and immediately into the press to separate juice from skins.

Cold Storage and Filtration

After pressing, the juice goes into stainless-steel tanks kept below 0°C. This prevents fermentation until two crucial filtrations are performed: one to remove coarse sediment, another to eliminate finer particles that could cause discoloration or off flavors.

The must then rests at around –1°C for weeks or even months. This long cold storage in contact with fine lees is key for aromatic intensity and complexity.

Fermentation in Autoclave

When the winemaker decides it’s time to produce Moscato, the tank temperature is slowly raised to 10–15°C. Selected yeasts are added — essential because the must has been heavily clarified.

Fermentation takes place in a pressurized autoclave, a double-walled tank that preserves the natural bubbles. This soft, slow fermentation lasts 30–40 days and helps integrate sweetness, acidity, and the gentle sparkle.

Once fermentation is complete and pressure stays under 2.5 bar, the wine undergoes sterile filtration to remove any remaining yeast. This step is critical — residual sugar makes re-fermentation in the bottle a real risk.

Bottling and Quality Risks

After sterile filtration, the wine is bottled under pressure. Moscato requires extremely careful handling, and the number of filtration steps can exceed ten before bottling.

This is a delicate wine with a high risk of spoilage, both in the cellar and after bottling. Only dedicated winemakers with passion and meticulous technique consistently produce top-quality Moscato.

How to Read a Moscato Label

If a Moscato comes from anywhere outside Italy, it cannot be labeled “Moscato d’Asti DOCG.” The DOCG designation guarantees strict regulations: vineyard rules, chemical analysis, blind tastings, and quality controls.

If the label simply says “Moscato,” without Asti or DOCG, the producer has complete freedom — which often means wines that are flat, cloyingly sweet, or poorly made. This, combined with mass-market demand, contributes to “Moscato Madness.”

Recommended Moscato d’Asti DOCG Producers

Gianni Doglia: A small family-run winery led by siblings Gianni and Paola. They produce around 80,000 bottles a year, including two excellent Moscato wines with distinct styles.

La Spinetta: One of the area’s pioneering estates. Giorgio Rivetti elevated Moscato by producing single-vineyard expressions. Today they bottle two consistently high-quality labels. More about La Spinetta here.

La Caudrina: A historic family winery. Romano Dogliotti put La Caudrina on the map in the 1970s with premium Moscato and top Asti Spumante. More about La Caudrina here.

Scagliola: A fourth-generation winery producing fresh, clean, high-quality Moscato. Also try their Brachetto.

Elio Perrone: A boutique producer focused on indigenous Asti grapes. Famous for “Bigaro,” a lightly sparkling blend of Moscato and Brachetto with a beautiful rosé color.