Pecchenino, Dolcetto di Dogliano 'San Luigi'
Ref. 0410
Dolcetto is one of the most common grapes from Italy's Piedmont region. Its name refers to the sweetness of the grape, and while the wine can be fruity it is not sweet - in fact it often has a touch of acidity on the finish. Dolcetto has moderate and tannins and is generally made in an approachable style that highlights the grape's natural fruitiness which recalls blackberry and plum. A nice deep garnet colour and subtle nose - this wine offers beautiful red fruit, a floral side and slightly spiced. In the taste, once again, one notes the presence of soft spices, some bitter chocolate flavours and little touch of acidity, although quite low.
- Colour: Red
- Grapes: Dolcetto
- Vintage: 2011
- Closure: cork
- Alcohol: 13%
- Other info: Dolcetto (the grape varietal) means 'little sweet one' in Italian. Piedmont makes its share of sweet wines, like Asti Spumante, but Dolcetto is a very dry red wine made from an early-ripening, low acid workhorse grape that grows easily in soil where the more refined Nebbiolo does poorly. Dolcetto is 'sweet' only in the sense that the grapes are picked ripe and its resulting tannins are soft. Because of its versatility, Dolcetto is widely planted in Piedmont. Its light acids allow the fruitiness of the wine to come to the fore on the palate, so it’s easy to drink early on. References to the Dolcetto grape go back the 15th century, but only in the last decade has the wine made from it acquired a reputation for quality. As with Piedmont’s other favoured varietal, Barbera, Dolcetto is now the focus of the region’s best and most expensive Barolo and Barbaresco estates, aware that a quality Dolcetto sells well if priced right. As the local saying goes, 'Dolcetto is what you drink while waiting for your Barolos and Barbarescos to age.' Dolcetto is unlikely ever to achieve the status of Barolo and Barbaresco, but for a dry red wine that complements a complete range of meats in summer and winter, Dolcetto has come a long way at a price that makes perfect sense in today's economy. The grapes for this 100% Dolcetto, from Pecchenino, come from a southwest facing vineyard at 1500 feet elevation; the vineyard is sustainably farmed, supplemented with organic compost, while chemical products are eschewed for weed or pest control. The grapes are picked at the perfect degree of ripeness and then fermented in stainless steel tanks, where the must is macerated for five days to extract colour and flavour. To preserve its freshness and fruitiness, the wine remains in stainless steel and never sees the inside of an oak barrel. The wine is very pretty and fresh, with plenty of traditional varietal character. Brisk and elegant on the palate, with flavours of raspberry, blueberry, liquorice and baking spices, its dark fruit flavours open up and become more interesting after a half hour in the glass or decanter.
£16.99
or £16.14 when purchasing any 12 mixed bottles.