Asti Docg officially becomes also “Rosè”: it will be a blend of Moscato and Brachetto grapes

A future tinted pink. Asti, Italy first Metodo Classico wine, arisen in the cellars of the “Underground Cathedrals” of Canelli, a Unesco World Heritage Site beneath the Piedmontese hills celebrated by “giants” of Italian and world literature such as Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio (as previously reported by WineNews), a pearl of the Piedmontese and Italian sparkling wine tradition and of the “sweet drinking” style which has conquered the world, is now also turning “Rosé”. Consorzio Asti DOCG, headed by its president Stefano Ricagno, announced the completion of the bureaucratic process, launched at the end of 2023, with the publication in the Official Journal, which officially includes the rosé style in the Asti DOCG production guidelines.
The new product (which may be bottled starting thirty days after publication in the Official Journal) will be a blend made of Moscato grapes destined for Asti DOCG (from 70% to 90%) and Brachetto grapes destined for Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG (from 10% to 30%). It may be offered in all styles, from sweet to extra brut, thus giving wineries the opportunity to adjust residual sugar according to their stylistic choices and the needs of the various markets potentially interested in this new category. To mark this historic innovation, clearly aimed also at the market, aligning with new trends and a specific consumer segment, and confirming a long-standing vision of product evolution which has always characterized Asti DOCG, the first official toast will take place at Vinitaly 2026, on Tuesday, April 14th at 12:00 p.m., with the “pink sparkling wines” protagonists to celebrate the recent introduction of the new style into the Asti DOCG production guidelines. Among the approved changes to the regulations, there is also the removal of the minimum bottle weight requirement: a sustainable choice which will allow wineries to adopt lighter solutions, reducing environmental impact. In addition, the obligation to include the wording “Asti” on corks has also been abolished.
“The inclusion of Asti Rosé in the production guidelines represents an important acknowledgment of the historic significance and the winemaking vocation of this territory  - declares Stefano Ricagno, president of the Consorzio Asti DOCG -  this new style is unique in the Italian landscape: it is a product which brings together two different grape varieties, both aromatic. We will symbolically toast this achievement for the first time at Vinitaly 2026; in the months which follow, wineries 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”.