The province of Asti with the capital of the same name in the Italian region of Piedmont covers the entire southern Monferrato hill area of 1,500 square kilometres. However, the sparkling wines(spumante and frizzante) produced from the Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc) grape variety, also known here as Moscato d'Asti or Moscato di Canelli, which was first mentioned in 1203, are particularly famous. Canelli is the centre of the sparkling wine industry.

Sparkling wines were already being produced here in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, when Piedmont was still part of the Duchy of Savoy, the court jeweller to the Dukes of Savoy, Giovanni Battista Croce, improved the cultivation and cellar techniques of his lordship. In 1606, he wrote the treatise "On the excellence and variety of wines produced in the Turin mountains". In 1870, Carlo Gancia, known as the "father of Italian sparkling wine", introduced the méthode champenoise and founded the famous white sparkling wine. The "Consorzio per la Tutela dell'Asti" (a consortium for the protection of Asti wines) was founded in 1932.
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Roman Horvath MW
Domäne Wachau (Wachau)