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There’s a wine that never imposes itself. It doesn’t raise its voice, doesn’t try to convince you. It arrives quietly, the way certain hills of lower Piedmont do when you cross them without hurry. Brachetto d’Acqui is like that: a gentle story, tasting of flowers, small red fruits, of memory.
And perhaps that’s exactly why I chose to tell its story. And today I can say it in a more concrete way: I’m an official partner of Brachetto d’Acqui and what it represents, and I’m deeply happy about it. Because here we’re not just talking about wine, but about identity.
Where Brachetto d’Acqui is born: a territory that speaks softly
Brachetto d’Acqui is born among the gentle hills surrounding Acqui Terme, in the heart of that territory that opens between lower Monferrato and the first, softer Langhe.
We’re in an area that mainly involves the province of Alessandria and, partly, that of Asti. A landscape also recognized by UNESCO for its cultural and agricultural value, where the vine isn’t just cultivation, but the very structure of the territory.
Here the hills are never aggressive. They stretch out. They breathe. And Brachetto seems to have taken exactly this rhythm.
If you want to go even deeper into this territory, here you’ll find my complete guide to Acqui Terme
Here instead you’ll find my story about Monferrato, land of Brachetto
Types of Brachetto: one wine, multiple expressions
When talking about Brachetto d’Acqui, people tend to immediately think of a sweet and aromatic wine. And it’s true. But there’s more to it.
The main types are:
- Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG: the most widespread version, slightly sparkling, sweet, with low alcohol content.
- Brachetto d’Acqui Spumante: more lively, with more persistent bubbles, often linked to festive moments.
- Brachetto Piemonte (non-DOCG): less structured, simpler, but always recognizable in its aromatic profile.
In my video I talk about the differences between these three types
Brachetto grape: an ancient and delicate raw material
At the heart of everything is the grape itself: Brachetto.
An aromatic variety, cultivated for centuries in these areas, that has a particular characteristic: it’s extremely sensitive to the territory. It changes greatly depending on the soil, exposure, altitude.
Its aromas are unmistakable: rose, strawberry, raspberry. But they’re never invasive. They remain suspended, as if not wanting to disturb.
It’s a grape that requires care. Attention. Presence. And perhaps for this reason too, the wine that comes from it always maintains a subtle balance.
Brachetto production: a process that preserves lightness
The production of Brachetto d’Acqui follows a clear principle: preserve the natural aromas of the grape.
After harvest, a very delicate red vinification process follows. Fermentation is often interrupted to maintain part of the natural sugars, and this is exactly what gives the wine its sweetness.
For the sparkling and spumante versions, a second fermentation (presa di spuma) is used that creates that light bubble, never aggressive.
If you want to see the Brachetto harvest and discover its production process, watch this video!
Brachetto and its history: between legend and reality
It’s said that even in Roman times this wine was appreciated for its aromatic properties and… also for its aphrodisiac ones.
It’s no coincidence that it’s often called “the wine of love.” But beyond the legend, there’s a more interesting truth: it’s a wine that doesn’t weigh you down, that accompanies, that invites you to slow down.
I’ll leave you here a video about the aphrodisiac properties of Brachetto
A wine that tells a way of being in places
Brachetto d’Acqui isn’t a wine for technical tasting. It’s not a wine you only study.
It’s a wine you listen to.
It fits well in simple moments, at shared tables, at the end of the day. It doesn’t need to be explained too much. You just need to let it arrive.
And perhaps this is where its greatest value lies: in reminding us that even in the world of wine there’s still room for lightness, the real kind.
Cheers!
