Grape · Piedmont, Italy
Dolcetto
dole-CHET-to
The name is a lie
Dolcetto means 'little sweet one.' The wines are dry, dark, low-acid, and bitter-cherry — Piedmont's Tuesday red.
- black cherry
- licorice
- almond
- plum
- bitter herbs
Profile
Bodymedium
Acidlow
Tanninmedium
Sugardry
Dogliani, Diano d'Alba, and Alba each have a Dolcetto appellation. The grape is early, so it was historically picked and drunk while Nebbiolo hung on the vine. The best Dogliani can be surprisingly structured.
Low acid means it wants a slight chill and fatty food, not a tomato bath (save that for Barbera).
Roast meats, hazelnuts, and salumi. Not pizza — Barbera wins that fight.
At the table
Service
57–61 °F (14–16 °C).
