Ruffino, the trusted Italian winery founded in Tuscany in 1877, announces the debut of its vintage Moscato d'Asti DOCG. The release of the 2011 bottling represents the first sweet, semi-sparkling Moscato Bianco from Ruffino, world-renowned for its award winning Chianti wines and characteristic celebration of la dolce vita. Ruffino Moscato d'Asti follows the launch of the winery's inaugural Prosecco DOC in 2011. With a suggested retail price of $15, Ruffino Moscato d'Asti, available nationally this month, is priced for success in the U.S. market, where Moscato is seeing a surge in popularity among Millennial consumers.
For more than 130 years, Ruffino's philosophy has combined Italian winemaking traditions with state-of-the-art technology. This synergy—a respect for history, balanced with a forward-looking passion for innovation and exceptional quality—is the foundation of the Ruffino house style. Moscato Bianco, believed to be one of the oldest domesticated old-world grape varietals, is therefore a natural fit for the heritage Ruffino brand. The grapes comprising Ruffino Moscato d'Asti were harvested in mid-September 2011 from within the exclusive 25,000-hectare Asti DOCG region situated in the southern part of Piedmont, premiere sourcing for Italian Moscato. Fermented in the Charmat method, which preserves the aromas of the grapes, this fragrant sparkling wine has an ABV of 6 percent and is characterized by light, effervescent bubbles.
The arrival of Ruffino Moscato d'Asti DOCG follows a year of skyrocketing growth within the Moscato category in the U.S. The fastest-growing Italian varietal by volume, with an increase of 178 percent in the 12-month period ending Nov. 27, Moscato is also leading the way in terms of dollar sales growth among all wines, with an increase of 89.5 percent. Studies show that Moscato is the preferred wine of Millennial drinkers aged 22–35, with more Millennial households choosing Moscato than any other generation.
Angus Lilley, Director of Marketing for Ruffino says, "With a belief that la dolce vita can be celebrated in many ways, Ruffino is pleased to offer a Moscato d'Asti DOCG to the U.S. market for the first time, where consumers are discovering a diverse selection of sparkling and semi-sparkling wines to suit their palates. Accessibly priced at $15, Ruffino Moscato is poised to enter a price segment that has experienced triple digit growth over the last year and after the successful launch of our Prosecco DOC in 2011, we feel confident in the prospects for Ruffino Moscato d'Asti."
Bright straw-yellow in color, Ruffino Moscato d'Asti begins with vibrant aromas of sweet citrus, peach and orange blossoms on the nose, giving way to notes of sage and white stone fruit on the palate. Its low alcohol content makes it an ideal aperitivo, or the perfect accompaniment to fruit and bread based desserts, such as Panettone, fresh fruit salads of figs and melon, or with bread and salami. For more about Ruffino Moscato d'Asti DOCG, visit www.ruffino.com.




















