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LOCAL
PRODUCTS AND HANDICRAFTS
One
of the landscapes that is most symbolically representative
of Piedmont preserves and nourishes its traditional artisan
skills as well as encouraging research into new techniques.
The local wrought iron industry and ceramic production (in
which SIC is well-known) are still alive in Casale Monferrato
- at one time famous for its manufacture of hand organs
and the working of tufa. There is still silver work (Ponzone
Fratelli & C.) and pewter working (Metalart).
In
Nizza Monferrato and the Scassa Tapestry Factory has been
operating since the 1960's in Asti's Valmanera Benedictine
monastery.
Its workshop, foremost in Italy and also recognized internationally,
weaves tapestries to the designs of Cagli, Guttuso, Turcato
and other famous artists by using the old refined "high
heddle" technique.
Wines
One of the best ways to get to know the area is through
the food and wines. Asti cooking is healthy, country-style
cooking full of intense, subtle aromas and flavours and
is best tried when accompanied by one of the excellent local
wines. There are about fifteen Asti D.O.C. wines
There
are wines to go with any dish – reds, whites, sweet whites,
dry wines, aromatic wines and sparkling wines. In short,
a variety of fragrances to satisfy the most demanding of
palates. It is well worth trying Asti wines and there are
numerous opportunities to do so.
"Gancia"
and "Bersano"offer tours of the production facilities, wine
tasting and trips round their respective museums. Alternatively,
smaller farmers often keep bottles of wine in the cellars.
Although the wine may not be "of noble birth" like those
that are listed below, the quality of the grapes combined
with an inherited skill in winemaking mean these "lesser"
wines should by no means be ignored.
Below
are the characteristics of some of these wines and the dishes
they should accompany.
Asti
This wine has made the town internationally famous. Asti
is the aromatic sparkling wine par excellence and one of
Italy’s few D.O.C.G. wines. Produced with white muscat grapes,
it has a characteristic aroma, a fruity flavour, is immediately
fragrant and has a moderate alcoholic content. It is a wine
to be served on special occasions. With its intense sweet
taste, it is excellent with any dessert.
Moscato
d'Asti This is the natural version of the same grapes
the Asti is made from. As fruity as Asti, it is produced
almost exclusively by small to medium-sized companies. It
has a lower alcohol content than the sparkling version and
should be served chilled at the end of a meal.
Barbera
d'Asti Made from grapes of the vine with the same name,
it is one of the noblest Piedmont wines. It has an intense
ruby red colour when young, which becomes more of a garnet
red as it gets older. It has a very characteristic fragrance.
The taste is dry and also slightly sweet. The older it becomes,
the more harmonious, pleasing and full-flavoured it gets.
It goes well with many first course dishes that are served
with a sauce, with strong flavoured dishes such as stew,
mixed roasted meats, venison, roasted chicken and sharp
cheeses. It should be served at 18° C.
Barbera
del Monferrato This is considered the little brother
of Barbera d’Asti, a robust wine which is very versatile
due to its origins, the cellar techniques used and its age.
When young, it is lively, fragrant and has an intense colour.
As the years pass, it becomes softer. It has a bright red
colour, a vine fragrance accompanied by a dry flavour that
is occasionally slightly semisweet. The body is average
and at times sparkling. It blends well with many types of
first course dishes, hors d’oeuvres, cold meats, mixed boiled
meats, white meats and light roasted meats. It should be
served at 18°C.
Grignolino
d'Asti It is believed that the name Grignolino was derived
from "grignole", the name in dialect for the grape seeds
which are so common to the Asti area. The wine has quite
an intense ruby red colour with a tendency towards an orange
hue if aged. It has a characteristic and delicate perfume
accompanied by a dry flavour, slightly tannic, pleasantly
bitterish, with a persistent aftertaste. It goes well with
mixed cold meats, hors d’oeuvres, soups and pasta dishes,
Piedmontese fried dishes and roasted white meats. It should
be served at around 15-16°C.
Piemonte
Cortese Produced from grapes that come from the vineyards
in the Asti hills. The wine has a light yellowish colour,
at times tending towards greenish, and a characteristic
delicate fragrance that is very faint though persistent.
It has a dry, harmonious, fruity and pleasantly bitter flavour.
The sparkling Piemonte Cortese, in addition to being a good
aperitif, is a good accompaniment for cold hors d’oeuvres,
fish and soups. It should be served at 8°C.
Ruché
di Castagnole Monferrato It is produced from grapes
by the same name and is found in the hills of the Castagnole
Monferrato area (northeast of the chief town). The wine
has a ruby red colour that isn’t very intense with light
purple reflections, at times tending towards orange. The
fragrance is intense, persistent, aromatic and fruity and
is accompanied by a dry or sweetish flavour that is harmonious
and occasionally tannic. It has an average slightly aromatic
body. It is a good wine for any meal and is particularly
recommended as an accompaniment for plates of red meat and
venison or strong hard cheeses. It can also be enjoyed between
meals. It should be served at 20°C.
Dolcetto
It is produced with grapes from the vineyards located in
various areas of Piedmont. The wine has a ruby red colour
with purple reflections, a wine and fruity fragrance and
its soft, dry and almond flavour make it suitable for the
lighter Piedmont dishes. It is preferably served while still
young and at 18°C.
Freisa
d'Asti This wine is produced with grapes from the Freisa
d'Asti vine and has a garnet red colour, an intense perfume
with a hint of raspberries and fruit of the woods. It has
a fragrant, dry taste with a vanilla-flavoured aftertaste.
It blends well with all dishes. The sweet version is ideal
with all desserts. It should be served at about 15°C.
Malvasia
di Casorzo The hills that are home to the vineyards
from which Malvasia is produced are located in the province
of Asti. It has a pale ruby red colour, is slightly sparkling
and has an aromatic fragrance with strong aromas of fruits
such as raspberry and ripe cherry. It goes well with all
desserts, biscuits and dried fruit. It should be served
young and chilled at about 8-10°C
Some
of the various local dishes are; mixed boiled meat (seven
meat cuts, seven other bits and pieces and seven sauces);
Monferrini agnolotti; finanziera (a rich dish made up of
chicken and veal giblets with mushrooms and capers); mixed
fried meat (single dish made up of brains, sweetbread, liver,
lungs and sweet deep-fried food); the Tirà (a simple pie)
and Bunét (a kind of pudding). To finish, we have the fragrant
white truffle of Moncalvo, the true star of Piedmont cuisine.
get
our "Piedmont Manual"
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