Dolcetto (Italy)
Dolcetto is a red wine grape from Piemonte in Italy.
Typical Flavors
 Cherry |
 Raspberry |
 Blueberry |
 Black Cherry |
 Violets |
 Roses |
 Plum |
 Licorice |
Red Berries and Violet flavors are typical for Dolcetto.
Profile
Dolcetto is a medium wine with low acidity and medium-high tannins:
| BODY | Medium - Light | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - Low | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Antipasti |
 Pizza |
 Hamburger |
 Sandwitch |
 Pasta |
 Mushroom |
 Sausages |
 Salami |
 Ham |
 Chicken |
 Lamb |
 Pork |
Dolcetto is easy drinking and very food friendly.
It pairs well with Italian Pasta and Pizza dishes.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent pairings:
Antipasti. Pizza. Burgers.
Smoked Ham. Prosciutto. Salami.
Lasagna. Spagetti with Meatballs.
Pasta with Mushrooms or Truffles.
Grilled and Roasted Meat.
Chicken. Lamb. Pork.
Cheese:
Soft Cheese. Mozzarella di Bufala.
Goat Cheese. Feta. Robiola.
Piemonte Spesialities:
Carne Cruda (Veal Tartar).
Gnocci in red sauce with Mushrooms.
Acciughe al Verde (Anchovies with Parsley and Capers).
Aged Salami with Garlic and Black Pepper.
If You Like Dolcetto
You Might Also Like:
| Barbera (Italy) |
| Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (Italy) |
| Dolcetto (Italy) |
| Frappato (Italy) |
| Gamay Noir (USA) |
| Garnacha (Spain) |
| GSM Wines (France) |
| Schiava (Italy) |
| Teroldego (Italy) |
The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for a bodied red wine.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
About Dolcetto
Dolcetto means "little sweet one", probably because the grapes ripen (become sweet = dolce) before other varieties. Or maybe Dolcetto derives from the local dialect "Dosset" or "hills", typical of Piedmontese wine landscape.
The people of Piemonte have always enjoyed their famous red wines (Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera), but their traditional everyday wine has been Dolcetto.
Dolcetto is light and soft and can be drunk young, due to low acidity and soft tannins.
Traditionally, Dolcetto is served in the middle of a meal, after the whites and before the heavier reds.
Dolcetto was the everyday wine (Vino da tavola) in Piemonte after World War II. Today, Barbera is beginning to overtake the everyday wine role in Piemonte. Barbera produces more fruit and the price of Barbera is now lower than the price of Dolcetto.
"Traditionally we pair Dolcetto with spicy features such as garlic or pepper.
Outside Piemonte the wine is perfect with a classic pizza."
—Alfio Cavallotto, Cavallotto Winery.
Piemonte (Piedmont)
Piemonte has been an important wine province since Roman times. The area is influenced both culturally and climatically by the Alps in the north, and the Ligurian coast in the south.
Red Wines:
Barbaresco
Barbera
Barbera Superiore
Barolo
Brachetto
Dolcetto
Dolcetto Dogliani
Nebbiolo
Nizza
Gattinara
Ruchè
Terre Alfieri
Vespolina
White Wines:
Arneis
Cortese di Gavi
Favorita
Langhe Rossese
Roero Arneis
Terre Alfieri Arneis
Timorasso
Rosé Wines:
Sparkling:
Piemonte
Nebbiolo (the power of the Barolo and Barbaresco) is the most famous grape of Piemonte, followed by the red grapes Barbera and Dolcetto.
For whites, Cortese and Arneis are the most popular grapes.
For dessert, the off-dry, sparkling Moscato d'Asti is the queen.
The most important wine regions are:
- Asti (Barbera d'Asti)
- Langhe (Nebbiolo, Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera di Alba, Dolcetto, Roero)
- Monferrato (Barbera del Monferrat, Nizza, Cortese di Gavi)
- North (Gattinara, Ghemme)
Piemonte's DOCG regions:
- Alta Langa (Metodo Classico)
- Asti (100% Moscato)
- Barbaresco (100 %Nebbiolo)
- Barbera d'Asti (Min. 90% Barbera)
- Barbera del Monferrato Superiore (Min. 14 months storage)
- Barolo (100% Nebbiolo)
- Brachetto d'Acqui (100% Brachetto)
- Gavi (100% Cortese)
- Dogliani Superiore (100% Dolcetto)
- Ovada Superiore (100% Dolcetto)
- Diano d'Alba (100% Dolcetto)
- Erbaluce di Caluso (aka Caluso)
- Gattinara (Min 90% Nebbiolo)
- Ghemme (Min 85% Nebbiolo)
- Nizza (100% Barbera)
- Roero (100% Arneis)
- Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato (90% Ruchè)
- Terre Alfieri (Arneis and Nebbiolo))