Someone You Should Know: Matteo Soria of Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo in Piemonte

The first time I tasted Moscato d’Asti wines produced by Matteo Soria was in January 2019 at a lunch in Chicago. The city’s contingent of journalists, trade and media gathered to enjoy wines from Asti DOCG and an array of salumi, provolone and expertly prepared dishes for pairing at Gibson’s Italian.

Between bites of Acquerelo Risotto with Porcini and White Truffles, I sipped the elegant Asti Extra Dry “Bric Prima Bella” Matteo Soria. Of 100% Moscato Bianco, this dry and balanced sparkling wine offered fragrant aromas of herbs and acacia and notes of light citrus, tropical fruit (especially limes) with a persistent mousse. Everyone at my table indulged in a second pour and frankly, I did my fair share of sipping this exceptional wine throughout the entire lunch. This was my first experience with wines from Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo and I was intrigued.

Fast forward to the fall of 2019. I was invited to participate in a work trip to Asti DOCG, Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG, Franciacorta DOCG and Custoza DOC, organized and sponsored by IEEM. One of the wineries on our itinerary was that of Matteo Soria and I knew that this was a perfect opportunity to delve deeper into his story. As luck would have it, a few weeks prior to the trip, I met Matteo Soria in real life during an event held in Chicago. Clearly, I was more than ready to explore and learn more about Moscato d’Asti.

What I found at Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo in Castiglione Tinella was a humble man who treasures the legacy of family, the land of Piemonte and the gifts of wine and winemaking. Our group arrived in the late afternoon, just in time for a tour with Matteo Soria, a vertical tasting of several vintages of Moscato at his new tasting room and sweeping views of the vineyards at sunset.

Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo is located atop a hill in Frazione San Martino in the southeast area of Piemonte, in the Langhe. The area is considered prestigious for Moscato since the beginning of the 17^th century thanks to its gentle slopes and rich “white soil” (local term for sandy soil), elements that give the Moscato grapes beautiful aromatics, its signature characteristic.

During our walk along the path leading to one of the vineyards, Matteo explained that at the end of the 19^th century, the Estate was handed down to Eugenio Soria’s family, Matteo’s great grandfather. In the early 20^th century, Giovanni Soria, Matteo’s grandfather, took the reins of the Estate and during the 1970s, Sergio, Matteo’s father, began to work at the winery after having completed his oenology studies. The family legacy continued in 2006 when Matteo Sorio, a graduate of the distinguished school of oenology (at only 21 years old) started working with his father and grandfather. By 2008, Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo became leaders in producing and bottling Moscato d’Asti.

Asti and Moscato d’Asti, considered two styles of premium Italian sweet wines from Piemonte, are produced using the Charmat method whereby the second fermentation is in the stainless steel tank. As a result of gentle pressing of the Moscato Bianco grapes and incomplete alcoholic fermentation (the stainless steel tanks are sealed before fermentation is finished in order to trap the CO2 and achieve the optimal level of carbonation), wines are highly aromatic, fresh, balanced and full of flavor. Because fermentation is stopped early, more sugar remains and alcohol levels are lower. To make things even more interesting, some wines in the region are produced using Metodo Classico, a process during which the second fermentation occurs in the bottle…

Complemented with salty prosciutto and a selection of hard, flavorful cheeses, four vintages of Moscato d’Asti from 2005 to 2018 and just-pressed “Moscato juice” from 2019 were poured. Each was a compelling expression of Moscato and as I explored vintage variations, I kept wondering why more winelovers aren’t sipping this refreshing sparkling wine.

There were more revelations. Busting the myth that “Moscato can’t age” was a favorite “ah-ha!” moment when I sipped the 2005 vintage. Fresh and balanced, this just-sweet-enough wine boasted vibrant notes of crisp green apples, ripe pears, brilliant citrus and lively bubbles. Many of us in the group agreed that the wine had the profile of a more recent vintage.  Matteo shared that this elegant, high quality wine was kept in optimal conditions, a crucial factor in the ageing process of any wine, of course.

Matteo is an advocate of using modern technology to ensure that premium wines are produced. In particular, “technology that is linked to the cold chain has permitted us to maintain the aromas and flavors of the grapes in the wine. All our wines are submitted to strict controls to guarantee that an exceptional product arrives on your table.” In essence, because temperature fluctuations affect the chemical composition of the wine, cold chain logistics minimize the damage and spoilage of wine shipments through refrigerated transport and climate-controlled warehouse conditions in an unbroken cold chain.

Once home in the United States, I reminisced about the fascinating, way-too-short visit at Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo with a bottle of Bolla Bea Blanc de Noir of 100% Pinot Nero, a wine that Matteo had sent to me as a sample. Incredibly balanced, aromas of fleshy white peaches, toast, ripe pear and hint of nuts wafted from the glass. On the palate, citrus, lemon curd and herbal notes were surrounded with bright acidity. Dancing bubbles continued on the rich and satisfying finish…

Note: A few days ago, I reached out to Matteo Soria to see how he and his family were coping with the challenges of Covid-19. His response follows.

My family and I are fine despite the critical situation in northern Italy. Here, all non-essential activities had to close. Luckily wineries can work, since we’re part of the agri-food sector which is of course needful and essential to keep supermarkets open.

Until last week we had no big problems but then, when the WHO (OMS) declared the pandemic, the suppliers started to close and the customers began to make fewer and fewer orders.

We try to hold on and continue working while preserving our health and that of our collaborators. We have also promoted a solidarity initiative on our social networks.

We ship our wines all over the world (where possible). We pay the shipping costs and 20% of the proceeds go to the new Alba-Bra hospital to deal with the emergency. Matteo Soria

Along with your current efforts to assist those in the wine industry, I encourage you to support Matteo Soria at Azienda Agricola Soria Matteo with your wine purchases. He is quite active and responsive on social media (Instagram @matteo.soria.winery, Twitter @MoscatoSoria, Facebook at Matteo Soria Winery) and welcomes your emails at info@matteosoria.it.

Cheers! ~ Cindy

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