Monferrato and Asti spread across rolling hills east of the Langhe. Barbera occupies many of the sunniest slopes, but it shares the area with Moscato, Grignolino, Ruchè, Brachetto, Dolcetto and Freisa. Part of this vineyard landscape belongs to the UNESCO site shared with Langhe and Roero.
Red wine and bubbles share the hills
What changes here
Barbera d'Asti and Nizza are two of the area's main red-wine names. Asti and Moscato d'Asti turn Moscato Bianco into sparkling and gently sparkling wines, while Brachetto adds an aromatic red counterpart. Dry reds and fragrant sparkling wines are made within a short distance of one another.
Local grape names on the label
Names to know
Barbera d'Asti, Nizza and Barbera del Monferrato are local red wines. Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato, Grignolino d'Asti and Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese take their names from other local red grapes and the places where they grow. Around Acqui and Ovada, look for Brachetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Acqui and Dolcetto di Ovada. These appellation names usually identify both the grape and its part of the hills.
Begin with Barbera, then try Moscato, Ruchè or Grignolino
First bottle
Barbera d'Asti is the most direct first bottle: bright in acidity, with a modest drying grip from tannin. Follow it with Moscato d'Asti for a lighter, aromatic sparkling wine, or try Ruchè and Grignolino to meet two other local red grapes.
Continue through the region
Elsewhere in Piemonte
- Alto Piemonte11 producersAlto Piemonte includes Gattinara, Ghemme and several smaller wine areas. Nebbiolo grows here on volcanic and glacial soils and is also used in blends.
- Canavese & Torinese7 producersCanavese and the Torinese hills lie near the Alps. Alongside the area's red wines, you'll find whites made from Erbaluce, a local grape known for its pronounced acidity.
- Langhe149 producersThe Langhe hills are home to Barolo and Barbaresco, both made from Nebbiolo. The area also makes Langhe Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto.
- Roero9 producersAcross the Tanaro from the Langhe, Roero makes red wines from Nebbiolo and whites from Arneis. Roero Arneis can have peach, pear, almond and floral notes.
Producers in Monferrato & Asti
Start with these
- Braida di Giacomo BolognaBraida makes Barbera in Rocchetta Tanaro, from the lightly sparkling La Monella to Bricco dell'Uccellone, a Barbera d'Asti Superiore aged in French oak barrels.
- La SpinettaThe Rivetti family's La Spinetta began in Castagnole delle Lanze, making Moscato d'Asti from the Bricco Quaglia vineyard, and now also produces Barbera, Barbaresco and Barolo.
- MontalberaThe Morando family's Montalbera estate in Castagnole Monferrato grows Ruchè, an aromatic red grape, alongside Barbera, Grignolino and Viognier.
- Giulio CocchiCocchi makes drinks flavoured with herbs and spices in Asti, including Barolo Chinato, Storico Vermouth di Torino and the bittersweet Americano aperitif.
- ScarpaBased in Nizza Monferrato, Scarpa makes Barbera d'Asti from Monferrato vineyards and Nebbiolo wines from the Langhe, with long ageing in barrel and bottle before release.
Browse 29 more
- Angelini Wines & EstatesAngelini Wines & Estates owns wineries across Tuscany, Marche, Friuli and Valpolicella, with its Tuscan estates Val di Suga, Tenuta Trerose and San Leonino working with Sangiovese.
- Azienda Agricola Angelini PaoloThe Angelini family makes Arbian Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese in Monferrato, ageing it in oak and bottle for at least four years before release.
- Azienda Agricola Boggero-Bogge WineBoggero grows Barbera at its farm in Vaglio Serra, bottling it as unoaked Supreme Barbera d'Asti and as Altaris Nizza, aged in French oak barrels.
- Azienda Agricola CrivelliCrivelli grows the aromatic red Ruchè grape on Montiò hill in Castagnole Monferrato, bottling it on its own without oak and blending it with Syrah for Agoghè.
- Azienda Vitivinicola Gianni DogliaGianni and Paola Doglia run their family estate in Castagnole delle Lanze, making two Moscato d'Asti wines alongside reds including Barbera d'Asti and Nizza.
- Cantina Sant EvasioCantina Sant'Evasio grows its own grapes around Nizza Monferrato, making Barbera d'Asti and Nizza reds alongside a white Langhe Arneis.
- Cantina Sociale di CasorzoCantina Sociale di Casorzo is a grower-owned cooperative in Monferrato, making Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti, a sweet, lightly sparkling red from Malvasia Nera grapes.
- Cantine VolpiCantine Volpi is a family winery in Tortona, making Timorasso La Zerba, a full-bodied white from its Cascina La Zerba estate in Volpedo.
- Cantine Volpi srlTortona's Cantine Volpi makes Timorasso Derthona from a local white grape, alongside an organic Era range that includes wines from elsewhere in Italy.
- Cascina CappelleCascina Cappelle is a family estate on a limestone hill in Mongardino, ageing its Barbera d'Asti in both small French oak barrels and larger wooden casks.
- Cascina La BarbatellaCascina La Barbatella in Nizza Monferrato makes La Vigna dell'Angelo from old Barbera vines, alongside Sonvico, a blend of Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Cascina VignaStefano and Massimo Gozzelino run Cascina Vigna on the southern slope of Bricco Lù in Piemonte, growing their own grapes for Barbera, Freisa and Nebbiolo wines.
- Chazalettes & Co.Chazalettes is a Turin vermouth house revived using the family's original recipes, with red, white and extra-dry versions flavoured with herbs and spices.
- Cossetti Clemente e Figli S.r.l.Clementina and Giulia Cossetti run this family estate in Castelnuovo Belbo, growing mainly Barbera and Moscato and making Moscato d'Asti from the San Colombano property.
- Dacasto DuilioDacasto Duilio is a family estate in Agliano Terme, making Barbera d'Asti and Nizza reds alongside Chardonnay and Alta Langa sparkling wine.
- DezzaniDezzani works with cooperative growers across Monferrato and the Langhe from its base in Cocconato, bottling Nebbiolo as Barolo and Barbaresco.
- Guasti Clemente e FigliGuasti Clemente e Figli is a family winery in Nizza Monferrato, making Nizza Riserva from its oldest Barbera vines alongside Barolo and Alta Langa sparkling wine.
- Marco BonfanteSiblings Marco and Micaela Bonfante run this Nizza Monferrato estate, whose Albarone red is made from Albarossa grapes, with part of the harvest dried before fermentation.
- PerlinoPerlino produces sparkling Asti from Moscato Bianco and a range of vermouths at its cellars around Asti and Montiglio Monferrato.
- Società Agricola MontalberaMontalbera grows the aromatic red grape Ruché in Castagnole Monferrato, making wines that range from stainless-steel-aged La Tradizione to oak-aged Il Fondatore Riserva.
- Società Agricola Tenuta Santa Caterina S.R.L.Tenuta Santa Caterina in Grazzano Badoglio, Monferrato, makes Grignolino in two styles: stainless-steel-aged Arlandino and the longer-aged Monferace, alongside Barbera from the Vignalina vineyard.
- Tenuta Bricco San GiorgioDavide Laiolo runs Tenuta Bricco San Giorgio in Vinchio, Monferrato, making two wines from his vineyards: a Viognier white and a Nebbiolo rosé.
- Tenuta La FiammengaAt Tenuta La Fiammenga in Cioccaro di Penango, cousins Paolo and Guido Sartirano make Barbera d'Asti, including Pajon, fermented slowly in oak with prolonged skin contact.
- Tenuta la MeridianaTenuta La Meridiana is a family estate in Montegrosso d'Asti, making Barbera d'Asti aged in concrete as Le Quattro Terre and in French oak as Bricco Sereno.
- Tenuta La PergolaAlessandra Bodda runs Tenuta La Pergola in Cisterna d'Asti, making Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo, Roero Arneis and local reds from Barbera and Croatina.
- Tenuta MontemagnoTenuta Montemagno makes Monferrato wines from Timorasso, Sauvignon, Barbera and Syrah in Montemagno, Asti.
- Tenuta San MauroMauro and Davide Bianco run Tenuta San Mauro in Castagnole delle Lanze, between Asti and Alba, making Barbaresco and Alta Langa sparkling wines.
- Tenuta Santa CaterinaAt Tenuta Santa Caterina in Grazzano Badoglio, winemaker Luciana Biondo makes Monferrato wines from Grignolino, Freisa and Barbera, alongside the estate's Illegale Nebbiolo.
- VinoryVinory works with winemakers across Piemonte to produce wines including Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero Arneis and Nizza, with separate responsibilities for named vineyards.