Aromatic Wine Moscato d’Asti DOCG Delights

The authentic taste can be savored in each glass.

Dogliotti began in 1870 in the small town of Castiglione Tinella with brothers Giuseppe and Marcello Dogliotti. Although their winemaking techniques were simple and artisanal, their Moscato became the apple of the winery’s eye, receiving prestigious qualifications and gold medals at essential wine competitions. When Giuseppe’s son Luigi took over the winery’s operations in 1929, he transferred their small winery to Castagnole delle Lanze. Generation after generation, the winemaking tradition of the Dogliotti family has been passed down from father to son. With time, they have refined their techniques

By Debbie Hall

to create the high-quality wines they are known for today. The Dogliotti family’s passion for winemaking is found in three cousins, Erik, Ivan, and Matteo Dogliotti. With their combined enthusiasm, they have united their different talents to arrive at one common objective: to strengthen the family winery and share Dogliotti 1870 wines with the world.

Dogliotti is very well known for this wine with high quality, low yield grapes harvested by hand, not allowing any grapes to remain on the vine. The vineyards are located about 1,200 to 1,500 feet in elevation, with differences in temperature. During the night, the grape can “rest,” and during the day is exposed to the sun. This creates a wonderful balance between sugar and acidity, so Moscato d’Asti is a naturally sweet wine with no added sugar, only natural sweetness.

“Certain criteria and procedures must be followed to produce this wine,” explains Eros Spinozzi, selector of wines (Portfolio owner) for R.S. Lipman Company, his exclusive importer for the United States. “It is a wine that is one of the most famous Moscato from this region.”

“Sometimes Moscato wines do not offer the acidity so that they can taste too sweet,” explains Eros. “The sweetness of this wine is not overpowering, and the taste is very refreshing. Acidity is an essential aspect for sweet wines.”

Dogliotti Moscato d’Asti also ages well and can be stored (correctly) for four to five years. However, Eros admits that most people want to enjoy Moscato when it is first bottled and distributed to enjoy its unique boutique and fresh taste.

“I have tried many moscatos, and this one represented authenticity for the region,” says Eros. “This wine has its own identity where you can taste the grapes grown for this wine, the weather, the soil, the temperature, and the territory.”

“I selected this wine and the winery because I like to work with wineries that do not outsource grapes or outsource its wine to finish its production. I work with wineries with full control of their vineyards. Their wine is very authentic, and their standard of quality is always high.” The region is important to Italian winemaking.

The aromatic wine Dogliotti Moscato d’Asti can be only produced in 52 villages in the southern part of Piedmont, within Asti, Alessandria e Cu- neo. It is produced from Moscato Bianco grapes and is known for its surprising perfume-like fragrance, light body, semi-sparkling, and spritzy character. It also offers lower alcohol content (about 5-8% ABV) and its dazzling fruit-forward palate profile with a sweet welcoming factor. The wine’s color steers towards straw yellow with occasional tinges of gold. Moscato’s inherent aromatics are stunning—orange blossom, honeysuckle, almonds, ginger, and fruit dominated by green grapes, citrus tones, and ripe peach nuances. On the palate, expect an impressive lineup of fresh, forward fruit with sugar levels ranging from semi-sweet to sweet. The wine is wrapped in medium acidity from pear and apple to orange and lime, with consistent appearances in the ripe, juicy peach and apricot category. Moscato’s flavors are extraordinarily fruit-filled. The delicate cascade of bubbles, light body, and sweet surprise culminate to woo and win many unsuspecting palates to the wide world of wine.

Eros’s family started with wine in the early 1970s. His uncle introduced fine Italian wine to the U.S. market when most Americans were only familiar with Chianti wine with a straw covering. Eros’ background includes attending the Culinary Institute of Italy, and his career has always included food and wine. He joined his uncle in the business 30 years ago and has been operating the business since his uncle’s passing in 2005. Their market includes high-end restaurants and upscale wine shops.

“We look for the stories and the background of the wines we represent. The wine business is an item we sell, but we offer wines with hundreds of years of history with real people. American consumers love to hear about the history of wine. We are proud guardians of our traditions. We love it when people experience different wines,” states Eros. “The wine world is becoming standardized, and we encourage people to open their minds, support the regional wine-makers, and not just settle on the mass-produced wines.”

For more information, visit erosspinozziselections.com, follow on Instagram @ rslipmanco, and @ rslipman

Denomination: Moscato d’Asti DOCG

Grape variety: 100 % Moscato Bianco

Vine-training system: Guyot

Soil: Clayey-calcareous, calcareoussiliceous

Grape-harvest: Mid-August to early September

Max. Crop/hectare: 10 metric tons

Yield in wine: 75%

Alcohol percentage: 5,5 % Vol

Color: Golden straw color

Perfume: Orange blossom, honeysuckle, almonds, ginger and fruit dominated by green grapes, citrus tones and ripe peach nuance

Taste: From pear and apple, to orange and lime with consistent appearances in the ripe, juicy peach and apricot category

Food match: Fruit-based desserts, ice creams, holiday desserts, and ideal to prepare cocktails

The delicate cascade of bubbles, light body, and sweet surprise culminate to woo and win many unsuspecting palates to this lovely Italian moscato. A 150 year tradition, Dogliotti 1870 www.erosspinozziselections.com

@dogliottiusa #dogliotti1870