Winemaker Notes
Fermented 100% whole cluster with partial foot treading, this vintage shows the contrast of bright freshness against a firm structure that Lowell Stone loves seeing in Dolcetto. The nose shows black cherry, almond, anise, fresh soil, allspice, and cinnamon stick. The mouth is medium bodied with freshness and firm tannin on the finish. It is joyful and fully serious all at once.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I used to think that I could only get good Dolcettos from Italy, but the New World has surprised me with its efforts. The 2015 Idlewild is a beautiful red wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine explodes with juicy fruit aromas and flavors that should provide a perfect foil for a pepperoni pizza. (Tasted: September 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
An easy drinking red with soft fruity flavors—but catchy tannins, Dolcetto is often enjoyed in its native Piedmont on a casual weekday night, or for apertivo (the canonical Piedmontese pre-dinner appetizer hour). Somm Secret—In most of Piedmont, easy-ripening Dolcetto is relegated to the secondary sites—the best of which are reserved for the king variety: Nebbiolo. However, in the Dogliani zone it is the star of the show, and makes a more serious style of Dolcetto, many of which can improve with cellar time.
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.