Ezio Cerruti 'RiFol' Moscato Pet-Nat
The vibe: In this part of Italy’s Piemonte region, Nebbiolo takes a backseat to Moscato. While most producers here make wine in large quantities and in an industrialized, profit-focused fashion, Ezio Cerruti is known for his dedication to biodynamic farming, despite being surrounded by industrial vineyards. These 60 year old vines are planted on steep hillsides at 1,300 feet in clay and limestone soils. If ever there was a terroir Moscato, this is it. Because of his neighbors and their market saturation, Moscato often gets a bad rep for being a sweet wine lacking character or finesse. Here, we see what’s possible when a winemaker dedicates themselves to crafting expressive wines with little intervention, which includes leaving the wine un-disgorged, ‘col fondo’ style. You’ll find lees and sediment at the bottom of the bottle, which is what lends the cloudy appearance, complex aroma and bread-like richness that you find in the best col fondo proseccos.
The winemaker: Ezio Cerruti grew up among the Moscato vines of Castiglione Tinella, a place he has always called home. He began his winemaking journey in a cooperative, learning from the shared wisdom of the community. Inspired to push beyond expectations, he acquired a 1,000-year-old estate, determined to craft a more refined and expressive version of Castiglione Tinella Moscato. In a region dominated by industrially farmed vineyards and large-scale Asti Spumante production, Ezio is an outlier—an organic island surrounded by conventional farming.
The geeky details: 100% hand-harvested Moscato, spontaneous fermentation in concrete tanks and aged 7 months in concrete before re-fermentation in bottle. No disgorgement of lees, making for a vibrant col fondo!
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: The aromatics and crispness here will make an excellent pairing for Thai and Indian cuisine, curries, and spiced dishes. Or, treat it like an aperitif, served with soft cheeses. Or a dessert pairing! Fresh fruit and ice cream or lemon tarts.
Album pairing: El Michels Affair - Yeti Season