Let’s raise our glasses to all the experts and devotees of Piedmontese sparkling wines! We’re faced with an embarrassment of riches here, but let’s start with an Alta Langa DOCG, the vintage spumante exclusively produced in 146 towns in the provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria. This picturesque area with its terraced vineyards – which has been recognized by UNESCO – will put you in the right mood to raise a toast with a glass of Asti Spumante, Asti Secco or Moscato d'Asti, true international celebrities that originated in this area, beginning in the mid-19th century, as pioneers of Italian spumante production. To fully appreciate spumante, you should drink it with savory foods, such as raw salami or Robiola di Roccaverano cheese, or with desserts, such as the sweet and soft torta di nocciole, the typical hazelnut pie of the Langhe region. Other sparkling temptations on offer in the area include Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti DOC Spumante, Loazzolo DOC and Strevi DOC. Continuing on toward the province of Alessandria, don’t miss Acqui Terme, where you can wrap up the day with a glass of the aromatic and bubbly Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG or of Acqui DOCG Rosè. On the way back to Turin, you can stop at Castelnuovo Don Bosco, the birthplace of the saint as well as the production zone of the sweet Malvasia DOC, which is best accompanied by delicious dried pastries. From Erbaluce vines, meanwhile, which are grown in the triangle between Turin, Biella and Vercelli, is produced the excellent Moscato Passito. Another prized sparkling wine is the Freisa di Chieri DOC, produced at the historic vineyard of the Villa della Regina, the splendid royal palace which is also a UNESCO site
