Winemaker Notes
Pair with starters, salami, simple pasta dishes and white meat.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 vintage is an ideal one according to Marco Parusso. The 2016 Dolcetto d'Alba Pian Noce is a beautiful, if unusual expression of this unique and difficult grape variety. The winemaking philosophy attempts to stir the wine away from the carbonic or raw fruit aromas that are normally part of the Dolcetto taste profile. The grapes are cold soaked before fermentation and later the wine ages on the lees with frequent stirring. Micro-oxygenation techniques are generously applied to give the wine more stability. In fact, this wine presents a solid wall of dark fruit intensity followed by rich textural appeal. I've opened the drinking window by a few years as a result.
Rating:90+
Attracting the most glory, prestige and fame to the Piedmont region, Nebbiolo in all of its expressions—Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara—creates a complex wine, truly unique for its delicate qualities combined with strength and a great potential to improve over time.
But Nebbiolo isn’t all there is to red wine from Piedmont! Barbera is the most planted variety and historically most popular as a dependable, food-friendly, everyday wine.
Beyond these two, a surprising number of red varieties call Piedmont their home. Worth a try include Dolcetto for its bold concentration and aromas of spice cake. Other grapes to investigate include Freisa, Croatina, Brachetto, Grignolino and Pelaverga.