Decades ago the Langhe, a beautiful area of Piedmont situated around the Tanaro river and most famous for its production of Barolo and Barbaresco, was a kaleidoscope of colors and harvesttime, alive with an entire spectrum of leafly reds, yellows, and greens. Dolcetto, which ripens earlier in the season than Nebbiolo or Barbera, was a big contributor to the panorama, along with varieties such as Grignolino and Barbera.  Alas, thanks to hum nature (and the high prices Barolo and Barbaresco fetch nowadays, producers have taken to planting Nebbiolo just about everywhere, even in sites that are not especially suited to that late-ripening variety. The end result is that Dolcetto and other varieties have been planted less and less, and that much of the Barolo and Barbaresco today is from lower)-quality sites.

While the wine made with Dolcetto is resolutely dry, never sweet the grapes are quite sweet and low in acidity. Dolcetto or Dosset in Piedmontese dialect, was always much in favor as a table grape.  However, it is a difficult variety to work with which of course is one reason why producers do not invest as much as used in Dolcetto.  

Dolcetto is believed to be a native grape of Monferrato, in the province of Alessandria. 

Two very important historical persons contributed to the existence of the Dolcetto wine variety. First, Luigi Einaudi, Italy’s first president, planted thousands of Dolcetto vines on his Piemontese estate. Second Camillio Benso,Count of Cavour and Italian Prime Minister.

Dolcetto is a variety with many biotypes: not only do they look slightly different from one another, but they behave very differently too. The most important phenotypic difference is the color of the stalk: most have a green-tinged stalk leading to the grape bunch,  but a least one biotype’s stalk becomes fiery red when the grapes are fully ripe.  

The buds of Dolcetto are fragile and break easily.This grape grows low to the ground, requiring backbreaking vineyard work. It has a poor vigor,and tends to give scrawny vines.  Close to harvesttime, Dolcetto becomes very weather sensitive and excessive swings in maximum and minimum temperature values can cause dissection of the spine.  While it usually ripens earlier than other Piedmontese varieties (up to three weeks earlier than Barbera and earlier than Nebbiolo, something ought to endear it to farmers,  given Piedmont’s notoriously fickle and cold autumn weather,  prolonged cold snaps cause a physiological blockage that Dolcetto recovers from ith difficulty.  

Excessive humidity is a major problem, as Dolcetto rots easily. Another characteristic  issue of the grape is that the berries cling very loosely to the vine. In fact, it tends to drop its berries when ripe, another problem.  The fully ripe berries really are sweet, just as you’d expect given Dolcetto’s name, but ironically. 

Dolcetto does best on calcareous-clay and sandy-calcareous soils.  In Piedmont.  The Dolcetto d’Alba is the fullest bodied, while the Dolcetto di Dogliani is floral and fresher, and more perfumed.  Dolcetto is a unique, fresh, medium-bodied red wine.  

As it easily acquires off odors, winemakers need to use frequent pumpings over rack-and-return techniques to air the wine out. Its low acidity and high tannins also require winemakers to use softer extraction methods and shorter fermentation times; cooler temperatures are also indicated to avoid extracting drying tannins and to preserve the variety’s fresh, vibrant aroma’s. 

Our absolute top sold Dolcetto is just the opposite compared to what is most visual presented in Enoteca’s.  This Dolcetto – just like we have the same case with Grignolino’s and Vespolina’s with lots of success – is not young,  as we have now the Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore of 2017.  A great personality for the region of the eleven villages producing Barolo, put in his knowledge, the very interesting comments from customers,  and created a 95% Dolcetto and 5% Nebbiolo (from Barolo). Our vision towards Dolcetto and our customers opinion changed as soon as we put this one on the tasting table.  A full body Dolcetto from Umberto Fracassi Ratti Mentone.  

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Dolcetto Price of the Jury