Winemaker Notes
The intensity and strength of this wine come from its very rich, sumptuous and consistent color. The fruity component dominates the varietal aromas without missing floral and vegetable elements that complement its rich scents. The old and mature age of the vines, combined with the quality of the vintage, offers the well-known spicy taste at great value and complexity.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is bright and succulent with mellow red and dark fruit character and touches of spices and walnuts. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and mouth-filling, with velvety tannins and an earthy finish. From organically grown grapes.
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Wine Spectator
Though a tad shy in aromas, this red offers saturated flavors of raspberry, boysenberry, violet and mineral. Elegant, with a firm structure and a hint of black pepper on the finish. Drink now through 2032. 1,820 cases made, 250 cases imported.
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.
The hills of Dogliani, just to the south of the Barolo zone, produce the very best Dolcetto wines in the world. Its rolling hills reach higher elevations than those of Barolo and the area maintains strong Dolcetto vineyards as well as groves of hazelnut trees, farmland, pastures, and forests. Dogliani became its own DOCG in 2005; in order for a Dolcetto to be classified as Dogliani DOCG, it must come from one of the following communes: Bastia Mondovì, Belvedere Langhe, Clavesana, Cigliè, Dogliani, Farigliano, Monchiero, Rocca Cigliè, Roddino and Somano. Dogliani DOCG must have a deep red color, elegance, intense fruit, and aromas of currants, raspberry, and blackberry.