La Caliera

Asti

While this small area in Italy's Piedmont region produces some fantastically fruit-forward reds, it is sparkling wine that Asti is most famous for, and the region is responsible for some of Italy's best-selling wines. Lightly sparkling, sweet and with juicy fruit flavors, this popular bubbly experienced a popularity boom in the early part of the 21st century. A new generation fell in love with this delicate fizz with pronounced flavors of ripe peach, white grape juice and elderflower. Because most Moscato d'Asti is fairly low in alcohol at around 7 percent, it can serve as a playful and light option for pre-dinner toasts. The DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) classification is the top tier for Italian wine classifications. It controls production methods and wine quality. Strict rules oversee the production of DOCG designated wines, including allowed varietals, winemaking procedures, barrel and bottle aging methods, grape ripeness and limits on grape yields during harvest. DOCG wines are also required to be officially tasted. DOCG bottles have numbered government seals across the neck of the bottle to prevent forgery.