Dolcetto

Dolcetto ( , , ) is a black Italian wine grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The Italian word ''dolcetto'' means "little sweet one", but it is not certain that the name originally carried any reference to the grape’s sugar levels: it is possible that it derives from the name of the hills where the vine is cultivated. In any case the wines produced are nearly always dry. They can be tannic and fruity with moderate, or decidedly low, levels of acidity and are typically meant to be consumed within a few years after release.O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 86 Harcourt Books 2001

History

One theory suggests the grape originated in France and was brought to Monferrato some time in the 11th century.J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pg 209 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 1986 A competing theory has the grape originating in the Piedmontese village of Dogliani.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' pg 332 Workman Publishing 2001 In 1593, an ordinance of the municipality of Dogliani which forbade the harvesting of grapes earlier than Saint Matthew's Day, unless an exceptional authorization had been granted, has been taken to refer to this variety, which is still known in local dialects under the names and .‘Dolcetto di Dogliani: Il principe dei vini doglianesi’
, Comune di Dogliani, 2004.‘Dolcetto’
, Consorzio di tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero. A document of 1633 records the presence of Dolcetto in the cellars of the Arboreo family of Valenza.‘Il Dolcetto’
, Associazione italiana sommeliers: Sezione territoriale Trentino. A report of a presentation given by Roberto Perrici in Trento at the Palazzo Roccabruna on 27 February 2007. In 1700, Barnabà Centurione sent the wine as a gift to Queen Anne of Great Britain.

Along with the French grape Chatus, Dolcetto is a parent variety to several Piedmontese grapes including Valentino nero, Passus and San Martino.

Regions

Most Dolcetto is found in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, where many of the top estates produce Dolcetto on less favoured sites as an "early to market wine" to generate some income for the winery while the Nebbiolo and Barbera are being matured.J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 233 Oxford University Press 2006 It is particularly associated with the towns of Dogliani and Diano d'Alba in the province of Cuneo, although the greatest volumes come from around Alba and Ovada. The grape is also found in Liguria under the name ''Ormeasco'', and in the Oltrepò Pavese where it is called ''Nebbiolo'' or ''Nibièu''.

Of the 100% Dolcetto DOCs, all but one have two levels, the "standard" version typically requiring a minimum 11.5% ABV, and the ''Superiore'' at 12.5% ABV. They are Dolcetto di Dogliani (DOCG since 2005), Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti, Dolcetto delle Langhe Monregalesi (integrated to Dogliani DOCG in 2011), Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba and Dolcetto d'Ovada. Only Langhe Dolcetto has no ''Superiore'' variety. Of the blended wines, Riviera Ligure di Ponente Ormeasco requires a minimum of 95% Dolcetto/Ormeasco; Colli Tortonesi Dolcetto, Monferrato Dolcetto and Pineronese Dolcetto a minimum of 85%, and Valsusa a minimum of 60%. Golfo Del Tigullio can be between 20-70%, while Lago di Corbara and Rosso Orvietano contain less than 20% Dolcetto.

Outside of Italy, Dolcetto is known as ''Douce Noire'' in Savoie and '' Charbono'' in California. However, DNA fingerprinting done at the University of California, Davis has shown that the actual ''Douce Noire'' and ''Charbono'' vines are not, in fact, Dolcetto, but two different vines. In spite of this confirmation, some plantings of true Dolcetto vines still retain the local synonyms in some areas of Savoie and California.

The grape was first brought to California by expatriate Italians, and is most popular in Lodi AVA, Mendocino County, Russian River Valley AVA, Napa Valley AVA, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Sta. Rita Hills AVA, and Santa Barbara County. There are also some plantings in the Oregon AVAs of Umpqua Valley AVA and Southern Oregon AVA, Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula AVAbr>(Ciccone Vineyard & Winery)
as well as the statewide appellations of New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

Australia is home to the oldest current plantings of Dolcetto, with vines dating back to the 1860s.

Dolcetto di Dogliani

Dolcetto di Dogliani, and Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore are Italian red wines produced in the Langhe using only the Dolcetto grape variety. The wines were recognized as DOC in 1974. In 2005, the original DOC for Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore was revoked and replaced by a DOCG; this wine, which can also be sold under the name Dogliani, is made within a more limited zone than the DOC and the yield of grapes is restricted to 70 quintals per hectare. Furthermore, to qualify for the DOCG status, the wines must be aged for at least one year. The vineyards are restricted to the hilly areas within the boundaries of the communes of Bastia Mondovì, Belvedere Langhe, Cigliè, Clavesana, Dogliani, Farigliano, Monchiero and Rocca Cigliè, plus parts of the communes of Cissone and Somano.

Wines

Dolcetto wines are known for black cherry and licorice with some prune flavours, and a characteristically bitter finish reminiscent of almonds. While the name implies sweetness, the wines are normally dry. The tannic nature of the grape contributes to a characteristic bitter finish. The dark purple skin of Dolcetto grapes has high amounts of anthocyanins, which require only a short maceration time with the skin to produce a dark-coloured wine. The amount of skin contact affects the resulting tannin levels in the wine, with most winemakers preferring to limit maceration time to as short as possible.O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 87 Harcourt Books 2001 During fermentation, the wine is prone to the wine fault of reduction.

Food pairing

Overall, Dolcetto is considered a light easy drinking red wine that pairs well with pastas and pizza