Dolcetto 🍷
Image from Luca Monchiero on Wikimedia Commons
Dolcetto (dol-chet-to) is a black wine grape variety almost exclusively grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. While its name translates to "little sweet one" the wines produced from this grape are anything but sweet and actually can have some tartness.
Historically, winemakers called Dolcetto their "cash flow" grape. Because it ripens so early and is meant to be drunk young, farmers could sell it to pay their bills while their Nebbiolo and Barbera wines were still aging in the cellar for years.
Surprisingly, the oldest surviving Dolcetto vines in the world aren't in Italy—they are in Australia, with some plantations dating back to the 1860s.
Dolcetto wines are usually medium to medium-full bodied, with low acidity and higher in tannin.
Aromas include red and black fruits such as black cheery, plum and blackberry. Floral notes include violets and lavender.
Flavors include black cherry, blackberry, plum and licorice.
Because Dolcetto is low in acidity, it doesn’t age well and should be consumed young (2-3 years).
Dolcetto should be served in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F after decanting for 30 minutes.