Consorzio Asti DOCG Unveils New Rosé Sparkling Wine

Asti Rosé is now officially a reality. The bureaucratic process, launched at the end of 2023, has been completed, which adds the rosé category to the Asti DOCG production regulations.

The new product (which may be bottled starting thirty days after publication) will be a blend composed of Moscato grapes intended for Asti DOCG (70% to 90%) and Brachetto grapes intended for Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG (10% to 30%). It may be offered in all styles, from sweet to extra brut, thus giving producers the flexibility to adjust residual sugar according to their stylistic choices and the needs of different markets potentially interested in this new category.

“The inclusion of Asti Rosé in the production regulations represents an important recognition of the historical heritage and winemaking vocation of this territory,” said Stefano Ricagno, President of the Consorzio Asti DOCG. “This new type is unique within the Italian landscape: it is in fact a product that combines two different grape varieties, both aromatic. In the following months, producers that believe in the project and have invested in experimentation will develop production, initially estimated at between 5 and 10 million bottles, also depending on market response.”

Among the approved changes to the regulations is also the elimination of the minimum bottle weight: a sustainable choice that now allows wineries to adopt lighter solutions, reducing environmental impact. Finally, the requirement to display the wording ‘Asti’ on corks has been abolished.