Now owned by the Marenco family, who are Moscato and Brachetto specialists, the 11-hectare Contero estate remains one of the best producers of invigoratingly delicious Moscato d’Asti and Brachetto d’Acqui. The steep, hilly vineyards are planted on tufaceous-marl soils, in a perfect amphitheatre within the commune of Strevi (the heart of one of the best zones for Moscato in Piemonte).
The vines are superbly tended and produce fruit of stunning quality. The Moscato is lifted, fresh and frothing, while the Brachetto has a lovely rose petal character that emerges from the aromatic, grape-scented fruit.
The Contero vineyards are situated in a perfect amphitheatre in the commune of Strevi, the heart of one of the best zones for Brachetto in Piemonte, at an altitude of 250-300 metres above sea level. The vines are superbly tended and produce fruit of stunning quality. They are located on steep hills with tufaceous-marl soils, which contain layers of fertile clay. The vines are 30 years old and Guyot trained. They are planted at a density of 4,800 vines per hectare.
The 2024 vintage was cooler than the average and saw much more rainfall. While these caused challenging conditions for organic methods, the result is a wine of outstanding quality with a developed aroma.
The grapes were manually selected and, following destemming, were macerated on the sinks for two to three days to extract the desired colour. After clarification, the wine is fermented in temperature-controlled, pressurised tanks. When it has reached 5% alcohol content, it is interrupted through filtration and delicate perlage.
This wine is delicate ruby red in colour. The rich, persistent mousse is accompanied by bright aromas of roses and raspberries. The slightly sweet, aromatic palate has a typical bittersweet note on the finish and is delicate on the palate.
