Italiano
Moscato d’Asti is Ca d’Gal
Top producers of wine from Moscato Bianco di Canelli, the Boido family makes several versions, including the great Vite Vecchia and excellent Sant’Ilario.
When summer arrives my first wine instinct is: Moscato d’Asti. This is an extremely under-appreciated drop by wine lovers who do not know what they are missing. Totally unique in the world, is the product of Italian genius both on a technical level an in regard to comprehending the phenomenon. Today, modern technology has facilitated work that in the past was decidedly sketchy. But the skill and sensibility of the producer still play a pivotal role in the wine’s production.
The Boido family has been working with Moscato for three generations at their Ca d’Gal estate in Santo Stefano Belbo, one of the most suited areas for this varietal. Over the years, Alessandro has codified two wonderful interpretations of this wine. Vite Vecchia (Old Vines) recalls the Moscato of the beginning of the 20th century, with the grapes allowed to become slightly overripe and a creamy, almost unnoticeable effervescence, along with an intriguing aroma of orange peel and peach. Sant’Illario, on the other hand, is a more agile and immediate wine with an aroma that leans slightly towards sage and medlar.
Two fantastic wines with Vite Vecchia provoking the unaware by coming out very late on the market, a demonstration that, when well-made, this wine has a very long life. I recently tasted a 2007 that was incredible. This is not just a wine to drink in summer and it can be paired even with complicated and spicy dishes typical of Canton cuisine and, just to be provocative, with cold Mediterranean dishes (although in this case Sant’Ilario is better).
