In line with broader trends across the Italian wine sector — already seen in Chianti and Pinot Grigio — Asti DOCG is moving to cut yields in response to challenging global market conditions.
Amid economic uncertainty, health concerns affecting domestic consumption, tariff disruptions, and slowing exports due to international crises, the historic denomination has taken decisive action to protect its positioning and ensure sustainable growth.
The Asti DOCG Consortium has announced that the maximum yield for the 2025 harvest will be reduced from 100 to 90 quintals per hectare, with 5 quintals specifically allocated to storage. The measure, approved by a large majority of Consortium members following a proposal from its Board of Directors, is designed to maintain a delicate balance between supply and demand, strengthening the market for both Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti.
Under the new rules, an excess of up to 18 quintals per hectare will be allowed, which can be claimed as aromatic white must from Moscato grapes. Any additional excess — capped at 12 quintals per hectare — must be diverted to uses outside wine production. As for storage, wineries will retain the flexibility to reclassify their stored products as either aromatic white must or white wine. The stored volumes will remain untouched until March 31, 2026, at which point the Consortium’s Board will review market trends to determine whether to release them fully, partially, or extend the storage period.
The decision reflects an urgent need for supply discipline in a market facing both reduced domestic sales and export pressures. In the first half of this year, bottled wine labels registered with the state totaled 45.6 million units, down 8.2% from 49.7 million during the same period in 2024.
Stefano Ricagno, president of the Asti DOCG Consortium, underscored the importance of these containment measures, citing “the increasingly unstable international context, aggravated by the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration,” as key factors. “Our goal,” Ricagno explained, “is to harmonize production potential, control volumes, and ensure balanced growth for our denomination. With these actions, we aim to preserve the equilibrium between supply and demand and reinforce market stability.”
This move positions Asti DOCG — Italy’s first Metodo Classico and now one of the country’s most contemporary sparkling wine expressions — as a forward-looking denomination committed to quality over quantity, even in the face of economic headwinds.
Source: WineNews