Malvasia di Castelnuovo don Bosco is a DOC for sweet, sparkling, red and rose wines from the very center of Piedmont, in north-western Italy. All wine produced under this title is based on a minimum of 85% Malvasia grapes, in this case Malvasia di Schierano. The remaining 15% can be made up with the light, strawberry-scented Freisa, a grape variety undergoing something of a renaissance at present.
This part of Piedmont lies significantly further inland (60 miles, or 100km) than the region's more southerly vineyard zones, meaning it does not benefit from the moderating effects of a Mediterranean climate. The wines and the terroir they come from are also influenced by their place at the western edge of the Monferrato hills. The increased altitude emphasizes the continental characteristics of the climate, and serves to make this one of Piedmont's cooler zones.
The local climate is reflected in the crisp, fruit-driven wines made under the tongue-twisting Malvasia di Castelnuovo don Bosco title. The long growing season gives the vines ample time to develop complex phenolic profiles, while also keeping their sugars in balance with their acidity.
The Castelnuovo don Bosco viticultural area extends beyond just the commune of that name, and includes Albugnano, Passerano Marmorito, Pino d'Asti, Berzano and Moncucco. Albugnano has its own DOC, also covering red and rose wines, in this case made from Freisa accompanied by Barbera, Nebbiolo and Bonarda.
