In 1870, Carlo Gancia introduced the Champagne method for fermenting Moscato, and the immensely popular Asti Spumante was born. Originally the wine was bottle fermented,  but it was too difficult to retain the necessary residual sugar using this method. Early tank methods were complex and tedious, requiring several finings of the wine through sack cloths to remove the active yeasts before bottling. Centrifuging and refrigeration techniques have  not only greatly improved the method for making this wine, but have also had a positive effect on  the quality.  An early picking ensures a higher acidity and a more floral bouquet. The grapes are crushed immediately to avoid any oxidation which might detract from the wine's aromas. The grapes are gently crushed and the juice is settled, centrifuged and filtered. The purified musts are placed in stainless steel tanks and held at near freezing temperatures which blocks completely any fermentation. This enables the producers to draw  batches of fresh must  whenever they decide to bottle. The batch of must is then innoculated with special yeast and fermented in an autoclave to retain the naturally produced carbon dioxide. The fermentation is stopped by a rapid chilling when the wine reaches the desired ratio of alcohol (standardly 7%) to residual sugar ( 3-5% ). The wine is then filtered, bottled and, at Toso, immediately shipped to ensure the freshest product possible.  A good Asti should have a floral bouquet, a sweet, fruity taste, a dry non-cloying finish and it should be fresh. One must work with a reliable house in order to be guaranteed the freshness of the wine as Asti is rarely if ever vintage dated. Its recent elevation to DOCG status means that both the consortium and the region should be placing stricter  quality controls on all Asti produced. Asti is no longer considered "the poor man's Champagne" but, instead has taken its place as a  sparkling wine of  a certain prestige, which in the hands of a reputable house such as Toso, shows all its unique and delightful floral fruitiness, its delicately sweet taste and its delectable and lingering finish.