Monferrato
The Monferrato is a fairly large area that, together with the Langhe and the Roero, forms the heart of Piedmont.
It consists of the province of Asti and one part of Alessandria, but the last city is no longer within the Monferrato; the most important city is therefore Asti. Other important cities are Acqui Terme and Ovada.
A distinction is often made between the Bassa Monferrato (the low plain in the north), the Monferrato Astigiano (around Asti) and the Alta Monferrato (high southern part)
Various types of wines come from the region, and various DOCGs also come from. The best known are the Asti Spumante DOCG, a mostly semi-sweet sparkling wine. And the Moscato d’Asti DOCG, a slightly sparkling wine made from partially fermented must with a low alcohol content (usually around 5-7%). Both wines are made from 100% moscato grapes, an aromatic white grape variety.
Of the red wines, the Barbera d’Asti Superiore DOCG is the most important, but several other high-quality red wines are made: Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG, Dolcetto d’Ovada Superiore DOCG and the Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG. Also known are the red dessert wines from the Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG.
Various other indigenous grape varieties have been planted in the Monferrato, from which good and interesting wines are made and which have often also received DOC status, such as the Ruche, the Grignolino, the Freisa and the Malvasia.