Tenuta Il Falchetto has been owned by the Forno family since the mid-seventeenth century, though it wasn’t until 1940 that the estate began bottling its own Moscato d’Asti in Santo Stefano Belbo, a small but significant village in the Langhe where vines cover roughly seventy percent of the surrounding hills. The Ciombo bottling takes its name from the very hill the estate sits on, and the family’s guiding philosophy remains producing single-vineyard wines that let each site express its own character, rather than blending across multiple sources.
Made entirely from Moscato Bianco, also known as Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, the grapes are selected in the vineyard as early as June through careful thinning of the fruit clusters, then harvested only once fully ripe and golden in color. Fermentation is stopped early to preserve the grapes’ natural sugars, giving the wine its characteristic light effervescence and gentle alcohol level.
The wine shows a pale straw yellow color with fresh floral and fruity aromas of citrus and sage, carried on a light sparkle. The palate is sweet yet well balanced, lifted by lively acidity and a touch of salinity that leads into a refreshing, citrus-tinged finish. It pairs beautifully with dry pastries, fresh fruit, or simply as an aperitif.
