Alasia Brachetto d'Acqui

Bright and aromatic with fresh crushed raspberries, violets and dried rose petals. The palate is juicy and lightly sparkling, and bursting with fresh grape and red berry fruit. The sweetness is perfectly balanced by mouth-watering acidity and a delicately fragrant finish.

The Brachetto variety may have originated in Provence, but today it is grown in much larger quantities in Italy, in particular in Piemonte. The Brachetto vine is delicate, giving low yields from which sweet red wines with the colour and flavour of strawberries are produced. The grapes for Alasia Brachetto d'Acqui are sourced from vineyards in the Monferrato hills in the south of the province of Asti. These south-west facing vineyards are situated at altitudes of 250 and 400m above sea level. The vines have an average age of 20 years and are grown using the low Guyot trellis system. Soil is limestone clay. The grapes are hand harvested toward the end of August. The crushed grapes are chilled in stainless steel and kept in contact with the skins for 2-3 days. Grapes are pressed in a modern pnuematic press and the must is fermented in a pressurised tank, but fermentation is halted to leave 5.5% ABV and approximately 100g/l residual sugar.

Great aperitif, and perfect for a summers' afternoon drinking. The ideal match for fresh fruit salads.