Michele Chiarlo - Moscato, Nivole

Since 1956, Michele Chiarlo has been vinifying the essence of Piedmont, loving and developing the most incredible wine region in the world. There are one hundred and ten hectares of vineyards between Langhe, Monferrato, and Gavi. These crus respect both ecological criteria & the expression of the terroir. Michele Chiarlo has not abandoned his philosophy. Rigorous selection of the best grapes from only the most reputable growers in the most favored vineyard areas and longer aging in oak and then in bottle prior to release were measures he adopted before the DOC laws. Michele Chiarlo is also credited with being one of the first producers to introduce malolactic fermentation to Italy, thereby achieving wines of greater stability, lower acidity and easier accessibility in their youth. Michele Chiarlo’s extensive vineyards stretch over more than 272 acres of Piedmont, including the hills surrounding Canelli, which offer an ideal microclimate for growing Moscato. Grapes are hand harvested from select vineyards with southern exposure and placed in pneumatic presses, followed by a slow fermentation using natural yeasts to a low level of alcohol. Unfermented Moscato grape must is then added to fine tune the sugar levels. Finally, the wine is immediately bottled in order to preserve the characteristically aromatic, sweet fruit fragrance of the Moscato Bianco grape. The result is a wine with such a delicate finesse that Michele Chiarlo named it Nivole after the Piedmontese word for clouds. This sweet, fragrant, lightly sparkling wine has vivid aromas and flavors of peach and apricot on a light body with a delicate finish typical of Moscato d’Asti. An excellent companion to fresh pastries and fruit such as strawberries and peaches.