Moscato Blanco Harvest: 'Absolutely Positive'

In spite of the drought that has characterized 2022, the Moscato Bianco harvest ended on an absolutely positive note, taking into account the health of the grapes, the sugar content and the aromatics in the musts.

The crop exceeded expectations, even with scarce rainfall and high temperatures that characterized the summer of 2022. In particular, in the Asti DOCG area that covers 9,900 hectares across 51 Municipalities – rainfall through Aug. was 30% less than in previous years. In winter and in spring, frost-related damage was avoided and, since budbreak began, the growth of the vines was steady, with the harvest operations starting 10-20 days earlier than usual, around August 20.

Despite hydric stress and high temperatures, the quality of the grapes was not influenced by sunburn or withering, thanks to an adaptation of cultivation techniques, and a thickening of the skins caused by the sun. In 2022, vine fertility, defined as the number of bunches per bud, was even higher than in 2021, but the clusters had smaller berries. The high temperatures also benefited the health of the grapes, leading to a smaller number of vine treatments, i.e. more sustainability.

The figures for the first six months of 2022 confirm 2021 trends for Asti Spumante – the key markets are Russia, the United States of America, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, while the leading market for Moscato d'Asti is the USA. Overall, wine exports account for more than 90% of the production.