📍 Monferrato
The hills of Asti and Alessandria, the realm of Barbera and Moscato.
Monferrato is a hilly area in Piedmont, north-western Italy, around the towns of Asti, Alessandria and Casale Monferrato. It lies north of the Langhe, on the other side of the Tanaro river. The vineyards of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato together were added to the UNESCO list in 2014.
The main grape is the red Barbera. It gives Barbera d'Asti, Barbera del Monferrato and Nizza. Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Brachetto and the white Cortese (for example Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato) are also grown. The nearby Asti zone is known for sweet sparkling wine from Moscato.
Soils are calcareous clays and sands, and the climate is continental with foggy autumns. Wines can be light and fresh, while the best plots give full-bodied, aged reds.
Monferrato is part of Piedmont but differs in character from Barolo and Barbaresco: more everyday wines here, served with local appetisers and pasta. These wines pair best with Piedmontese cooking: pasta with meat sauce, risotto and aged cheeses. The name Monferrato on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.
How it connects to Wine
📍 Monferrato ← grows in ← 🍇 Cortese → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 📍 Piedmont
- Related to
- Italy: 📜 Barbera d'Asti, 📜 Albugnano, 📜 Dolcetto d'Asti, 📜 Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore, 📜 Freisa d'Asti, 📜 Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese, 📜 Nizza, 📜 Strevi, 📜 Barbera del Monferrato, 📜 Dolcetto d'Acqui
and 10 more
📜 Gabiano, 📜 Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti, 📜 Rubino di Cantavenna, 📜 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore, 📜 Calosso, 📜 Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato, 📜 Dolcetto di Ovada, 📜 Grignolino d'Asti, 📜 Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco, 📜 Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato
🍷 Still wine - Wines made here
- 🍷 Brachetto d'Acqui
- Grapes
- 🍇 Barbera, 🍇 Grignolino, 🍇 Cortese
- Wines
- 🍷 Red wine, 🍷 White wine
Frequently asked questions
Where is Monferrato?
In Piedmont, around Asti, Alessandria and Casale Monferrato.
What is the main grape?
The red Barbera.
Is Monferrato on the UNESCO list?
Yes, together with Langhe-Roero since 2014.
What to read next
- 🍷 Brachetto d'Acqui — Red DOCG wine from Piedmont made from Brachetto: still, sparkling or passito.
- 📜 Freisa d'Asti — Red wines from the local Freisa grape, still and lightly fizzy, from the hills of Asti.
- 🍷 Still wine — Wine without noticeable bubbles: EU category 1, at least 8.5–9 % actual alcohol and no more than 15 % total; red, white, rosé or orange.
- 📜 Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti — A sweet, fragrant red wine from local Malvasia near Casorzo.
- 📜 Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato — A white wine from the Cortese grape on the hills of upper Monferrato.
Similar
📍 Roero · 📍 Langhe · 📜 Colli Tortonesi · 📜 Canavese · 📜 Collina Torinese · 📜 Terre Alfieri
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
What it includes
- 📜 Barbera d'Asti
- 📜 Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato
- 📜 Freisa d'Asti
- 📜 Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti
- 📜 Albugnano
- 📜 Barbera del Monferrato
- 📜 Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco
- 📜 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore
All (20) →
- 📜 Albugnano
- 📜 Barbera d'Asti
- 📜 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore
- 📜 Barbera del Monferrato
- 📜 Gabiano
- 📜 Grignolino d'Asti
- 📜 Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese
- 📜 Dolcetto d'Acqui
- 📜 Dolcetto d'Asti
- 📜 Dolcetto di Ovada
- 📜 Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore
- 📜 Calosso
- 📜 Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato
- 📜 Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti
- 📜 Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco
- 📜 Nizza
- 📜 Rubino di Cantavenna
- 📜 Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato
- 📜 Strevi
- 📜 Freisa d'Asti
Sources
- Ministero dell'agricoltura (MASAF)
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register