Dolcetto

Wine Style:
The wines generally are low in tannins and acidity and are usually fruity and fragrant, often with hints of almonds. They are also ideal to go along with spaghetti with any red (tomato) sauce, grilled Portobello mushrooms and tomato and mozzarella salads.

Flavors:

Origin:
Dolcetto D’Alba in Italy

Found:
Italy, California, and Australia

Dolcetto roughly translates from Italian as the “little sweet one.” It is a native black grape variety of Northern Italy grown almost exclusively in the provinces of Cuneo and Alessandria in Piedmont. It is relatively easy to cultivate, although it is susceptible to fungal diseases. It ripens before Barbera and Nebbiolo and is often grown in high north-facing sites which would be unsuitable for Nebbiolo.

The finest Dolcetto wines come from grapes grown on soils rich with white marls, especially those found on the right bank of the River Tauro. Dolcetto is typically not blended with other varieties, but rather boasts multiple clones that are often inter-planted, thereby imparting complexity to the wine’s aroma, flavor and structure.

Most Dolcettos should be drunk within a year or two of the vintage, but the wines from the best producers can last for 5 years and sometimes longer. While often compared to Beaujolais Nouveau, Dolcetto tends to have a fuller body with more complex taste.

Further Reading:
Wikipedia
Raffaldini
Cellar Notes