I grandi Vini di Langa > Brachetto

It is a superb Piedmontese dessert wine, which is very much requested overseas, although it has a modest production: it is Brachetto d’Acqui wine. This wine was loved and preferred, according to the popular tradition, by one of the most famous Italian masks: “Gianduja da Gioan d’laduja [Giovanni of the tankard]”, who took inspiration for his happiness from this ruby red, sparkling of fragrant foam wine. This character was surrounded by the fame of being a great drinker, and Brachetto wine was the most suitable wine to fill his inseparable tankard and to satisfy his delicate taste. The origin of Brachetto wine is rather controvert. The most trustable hypothesis seems to be that it originated from Asti and Monferrato hills, although Demaria and Leardi, in their work “Ampeleography of the province of Alessandria” (1875), state that Piedmontese Brachetto wine, which is smelly and aromatic, came from Nizza Marittima. Talking about Brachetto wine recalls of country festivals which, during the summer, illuminate the hills with fires and attract people out of their houses, in the street and in their courtyard, to have fun, to drink and eat. Brachetto wine, as well as many other famous Piedmontese wines, originated from Monferrato. Nowadays its area of production is rather limited: it consists of some municipalities of the province of Asti (Nizza Monferrato) and Alessandria (Acqui), but its scarce quantity is compensated with an excellent quality which makes this wine insuperable. The area of production consists of 18 municipalities of the province of Asti and 8 municipalities of the province of Alessandria; hilly attitude vineyards, whose ground is calcareous-clayey, are the only ones which are suitable; there are 202 Brachetto wine producers, and 61,36 hectares of vineyards, which give a maximum of 3.436 hl, and an average of 2.177 hl; the only vines allowed are the brachetto type, with some additions of Aleatico and Moscato wine, until a maximum of 20%; its minimum alcoholic content is 11,5%; there is no ageing considered, but it is also available as sparkling wine; its colour is a medium-intensity ruby red, tending to light grenade and rosé; its smell is musky and very much delicate, with a scent of rose; its taste is sweet, soft, sparkling with a more or less abundant and persistent foam; its ideal matchings are dessert and fruit salad, strawberries and fruit tart.