It wouldn’t be Christmas without Asti’s two stars

Think Christmas, think Italy. When it comes to celebrating in style, the Italians have it down to a T, from their delicious panettone and pandoro through to their achingly beautiful music and colourful pageantry.

Yet no Italian Christmas would be complete without something sparkling and something sweet to celebrate alongside those tasty treats. Whether it’s raising a glass of bubbles to toast family or friends or finding the perfect pairing for a dessert, there are two bottles that every well-prepared Italian host keeps to hand: Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti.

Both wines hail from the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy, where the rolling hills are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Together, the two wines have formed the backbone of Italian Christmases for more than a century, and both were recognised for their quality in 1993 when they were each designated a DOCG (denominazione di origine controllata e garantita), Italy’s highest denomination.

Moscato d'Asti is a perfect pairing with Italian Christmas staples like panettone. — Moscato d’Asti is an ideal partner to Italian Christmas staples: panettone and pandoro.

Both sparkling and still for celebrations

Asti Spumante turned the Moscato Bianco grape into a global superstar, with its aromatic nuances of acacia and elderflower and its sweet flavours of peach, pear and tropical fruits, all balanced by lively acidity. Tipping the scales at a moderate 7% ABV, Asti Spumante has become the ideal fizz for toasting the festive season.

Meanwhile, Moscato d’Asti has claimed its place at Italy’s Christmas celebrations thanks to its natural sweetness with moderate levels of alcohol, around 5% ABV, alongside a gentle frizzante sparkle and notes of peach, orange blossom and even savoury sage.

With a moderate 7% ABV, Asti Spumante is the ideal fizz for toasting the festive season.

At the heart of the holidays

Together, the Asti twins are ideal partners to those other Italian Christmas staples: panettone and pandoro. The wines’ lightness means they won’t overpower the golden breads, yet they have the sweetness needed to stand up to pandoro’s rich dough and panettone’s sultanas and candied fruits.

Yet the food and wine pairings don’t end there. The Piedmont region is famous for its nougat and, whether it’s made with almonds or local Langhe hazelnuts, Moscato d’Asti’s mix of sweetness and freshness can provide an ideal match, as well as with panna cotta and medium-aged cheeses.

Old favourites, new fans

As well as having a long heritage, Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti are now also being celebrated by a whole new generation, which is searching for well-made wines with lower levels of alcohol. Consumers who want authenticity blended with a generous helping of Italian flair are rediscovering the wines that introduced their parents and grandparents to the delights of Piedmont in generations gone by.