- Last updated on January 17, 2022
Asti Spumante Dolce, i.e. Sweet, is one of the most famous Spumante wines produced in Italy and the most exported DOCG in the world.
It is known for its elegant sweetness, persistent bubbles, light body, peach, pear, and honeysuckle notes.
There are though other Spumante wines that are worth knowing, and we’ll take a brief overview of them here as well.
They are Prosecco DOC & DOCG, Franciacorta DOCG and Trento DOC. They are great wines and offer incredible value for money.
Have you ever found yourself staring at many Spumante bottles wondering which one you would like best?
I come from a nearby area and I know Piemonte very well, let’s say that you are going to have some local insight here.
We have picked a selection of the 7 best Spumante you can find in the market.
We have categorized them by type and have added an extensive buying guide so that you have all you need to make an informed decision.
Our best value bottle selection for you is Cinzano Asti Spumante Sweet (Dolce).
If you are after the best overall bottle, our recommendation is Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige N.V..
You’ll find the table of content below. Let’s start with the review!
Our Best Asti Spumante & Spumante Selection
- Best Asti Spumante: Cinzano Asti Spumante Sweet (Dolce)
- Best Spumante Rosé: Valdo Origine Rosé Spumante Brut N.V.
- Best Franciacorta: Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige N.V.
- Best Franciacorta Satèn: Lo Sparviere
- Best Franciacorta Rosé: Contadi Castaldi
- Best Trento: Ferrari Brut N.V.
- Best Trento Rosé: Ferrari Rosé N.V.
7 Best Asti Spumante & Spumante Reviewed
Find below the reviews for our wine selection of the 7 Best Asti Spumante & Spumante so that you have all the info you need to pick what’s best for you.
Cinzano is the most famous Asti Spumante brand in Italy, and for a reason. You can’t go wrong here.
It’s nicely sweet, bubbly, and very easy to drink.
Pair it with sponge cake or pastries and you’ll be in heaven!
Color scarlet brushstrokes on rose petals, bouquets fine and elegant blossom, with a consistent presence of raspberry flavor.
Tickling fine perlage of minute bubbles, pleasant round warm flavor, charming fruity aroma.
The whirlwind of sensations generated by this excellent Rosé wine from the Valdo expertise, is pure delight.
Vivino’s tips: 92 points by Falstaff Magazine
Region: Italy, Lombardia
Tasting notes: Toast, Vanilla, Hazelnut, Cream
It is clean and delicate on the nose. This wonderful sparkler is full-bodied and toasty on the palate.
Creamy and elegant, with a touch of vanilla and hazelnut on the finish.
Region: Italy, Lombardia
Tasting notes: Ripe and Dried Fruit, Toasted Almond, Hazelnut
Fine and persistent, almost creamy effervescence. Pale yellow color that can also be deep, with greenish tones.
Nuanced but distinct fragrance of ripe fruit accompanied by delicate notes of white flowers, dried fruit and toasted almond and hazelnut.
Region: Italy, Lombardia
Tasting notes: Wild Berry, Pink Grapefruit, Bread Crust
This light pink sparkler spreads throughout the mouth.
A sensation of plush volume is backed by creamy foam and delicate tones of wild berry, pink grapefruit and freshly baked
Region: Italy, Trento
Tasting notes: Golden Apple, Citrus Fruit, Yeast, Wild Flowers.
A lively straw yellow with faint greenish highlights.
Fresh, intense, with a broad fruity note of ripe Golden delicious apples, and wild flowers, underpinned by a delicate scent of yeast.
Region: Italy, Trento
Tasting notes: Strawberry, Currants, Biscuits, Hawthorn Flower
It has a fine persistent perlage and a light pink color.
Wild strawberries and currants, biscuits and a fresh essence of hawthorn flowers are the most dominant notes.
Buying Guide to Asti Spumante and Spumante
It’s not just about which Asti Spumante and Spumante you should buy.
There are other important aspects like how to serve it, food pairings, and much more.
The below buying guide will give you a detailed overview on all these topics.
Asti Spumante Overview
Here you find an overview on Asti Spumante DOCG style is most commonly planted.
Grape
Muscat Blanc
ABV
6%-10.5%
Main Regions
Italy: Piemonte
Other Regions
Grape
Muscat Blanc
ABV
6%-10.5%
Main Regions
Italy: Piemonte
Other Regions
Asti Spumante Taste Profile
These are some of the most common aromas and flavors of Asti Spumante DOCG style.
Color
Pale Lemon
Nose
Peach,
Pear
Ananas
Honeysuckle
Jasmine
Palate
Sweet
Light Bubbles
Pear, Peach
Medium Acidity
Light Body
Color
Pale Lemon
Nose
Peach,
Pear
Ananas
Honeysuckle
Jasmine
Palate
Sweet
Light Bubbles
Pear, Peach
Medium Acidity
Light Body
Asti Spumante Food Pairings
These are some food pairing suggestions for Asti Spumante DOCG. It pairs particularly well with spicy Asian food and dessert.
Appetitizer
Salami, Figs, Melon
Meat
Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian dishes
Fish
Clams
Oyster
Cheese & Dessert
Medium (Cheddar)
Blue (Gorgonzola)
Fruit Tart, Sponge Cake, Panettone, Dried Fruit
Appetitizer
Salami, Figs, Melon
Meat
Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian dishes
Fish
Clams
Oyster
Cheese & Dessert
Medium (Cheddar)
Blue (Gorgonzola)
Fruit Tart, Sponge Cake, Panettone, Dried Fruit
Serve and Store Asti Spumante
Here you find some useful tips on how to serve and store Asti Spumante.
Decant
Nope
Glass
Flûte
Serve at
43 - 46 °F
6 - 8 °C
Store for
Up to 1 year
Decant
Nope
Glass
Flûte
Serve at
43 - 46 °F
6 - 8 °C
Store for
Up to 1 year
What are the other Spumante styles?
There are at least three other main Spumante styles you should be aware of. The recommended serving temperature is still 43-46 °F (6-8 °C).
Below we are going to take a quick look at them so that you know what to expect and what to do with them.
Prosecco
Check our best Prosecco buying guide.
Franciacorta DOCG
Franciacorta is the equivalent of Champagne in France. It’s produced in the Brescia province (Lombardy Region) with the same method as Champagne, i.e. The Traditional Method.
It offers an incredible value for money and that’s why we’ve added some wine recommendations.
Saten, i.e. Blanc de Blancs, and Rosé are variations on the theme worth trying.
Franciacorta is produced for all sweetness levels, but the most famous are Pas Dosé, i.e. no sugar, and Brut.
Expect persistent perlage, high acidity, light body, bread crumb, dried fruit, and citrus fruit notes.
It pairs well with mushroom risotto, veal, pizza margherita, shellfish, fresh cheese, and small pastries for example.
Trento DOC
Like Franciacorta, Trento is the equivalent of Champagne in France. It’s produced in the Trento province (Trentino Region) with the same method as Champagne, i.e. The Traditional Method.
Trento DOC too offers an incredible value for money and that’s why we’ve added some wine recommendations.
Trento Rosé is a variation on the theme you should try.
You’ll generally find Trento DOC as Pas Dosé or Brut.
Expect persistent perlage, high acidity, light body, bread crumb, golden apple, peach, and stone fruit notes.
It pairs well with deli, white meat, shellfish, fried fish, and salted pastries for example.
Our Verdict
Asti Spumante Dolce, i.e. Sweet, is one of the most famous Spumante wines produced in Italy and the most exported DOCG in the world.
Along with that other Spumante wines that are worth knowing are Prosecco DOC & DOCG, Franciacorta DOCG and Trento DOC.
What to do next?
Read our wine tasting guide to enhance your tasting experience and taste like the pro!
Alternatively, why don’t you check out our guides on Champagne, Moscato, Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay?
FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Asti Spumante.
What does Asti Spumante mean?
Spumante means sparkling and Asti is the location in Piemonte, Italy, from where this style of Spumante was invented and made famous all over the world.
What is Asti Spumante history?
Where does Muscat Blanc grow best?
Muscat Blanc grows best in cooler regions on limestone and sandstone soil, which helps the grape to develop its typical flavors.
When is the perfect time to drink Asti Spumante?
Asti Spumante is a sweet sparkling wine and is a pretty common choice for the holidays season or to pair with dessert.
There’s a dry version, Asti Spumante Secco, that is more versatile and can be used for aperitifs or throughout a meal.
Is Asti Spumante sweet?
There are two sweetness styles Dolce, i.e. Sweet, and Secco, i.e Dry.
The sweetness level of a wine is expressed in grams of sugar per liter, aka g/L, or as a percentage.
A dry wine contains less than 15 g/L. A sweet wine contains between 50-100 g/L.
Learn more about wine sweetness level here.
What does the acronym DOCG mean?
DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. It’s the highest classification in Italy.
Every DOCG wine is tested before bottling by a committee of licensed judges which guarantee the quality of the wine.
Other common classifications are DO, IGT, and DOC. [1]
Why is Asti Spumante popular?
Asti is the DOCG wine most exported in the world and the spumante dolce style is the most famous in the world.
How is Asti Spumante produced?
Asti Spumante is produced with the Charmat Method. That’s the same method used to produce Prosecco.
This means that unlike Champagne, Franciacorta, and Trento, it doesn’t go through a second fermentation.
What’s Asti Spumante typical price range?
Asti spumante is an affordable wine. You’ll find good bottles of Asti Spumante at around $10 – $20.
For Franciacorta DOCG and Trento DOC you are in the $20-$30 range. Unlike Asti Spumante, these wines must spend at least 18 months in touch with the yeast which will add extra complexity to the wine.
