The Dolcetto grape, a unique and enigmatic red variety of Piedmont, is often overlooked. It can yield a lackluster, overly tannic, and bitter wine in the wrong hands. However, the recent surge in high-quality Dolcetto production in northwestern Italy begs the question: What has sparked this transformation?
It all comes down to intelligent site selection and nuanced winemaking. The early-ripening ‘sweet little one’ grape was traditionally planted in the coolest, highest vineyard sites, which were totally unsuitable for either Nebbiolo or Barbera. Yet Dolcetto could also struggle to ripen in the foothills of the Italian Alps; its skins contain a healthy amount of phenolic compounds, which can be unpleasantly astringent if the berries are not ripe. However, a combination of better site selection and the onset of rising temperatures continues to yield Dolcetto wines of considerable potency and charm.
The grape is cultivated in several regions across Piedmont, although few appellations can rival the reputation of Dolgliani. The small DOCG, formerly known as Dolcetto di Dogliani and widely regarded as the birthplace of the ‘sweet little one,’ remains the most reliable source of premium Dolcetto. Moreover, while it can yield delicious wine in the vineyards of Alba and Asti, Dogliani has an added dimension and complexity. This results from the exceptional terroir and exacting standards from the DOCG. Dogliani wines have been very impressive over the past five years, and there is no reason to doubt they will be even better in the years ahead.
Dogliani enjoys a privileged position in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, situated on the right bank of the River Tanaro. Indeed, the eponymous town is less than 10 kilometers south of Barolo – a vineyard that requires no introduction! However, the DOCG boundaries incorporate 21 distinct zones in the Cuneo province, a diverse collection of towns and villages that fiercely cling to their traditions and rural lifestyle.
In Dogliani, viticulture is just one of many economic priorities; the region also boasts a diverse array of cultivated crops, including hazelnuts, summer fruits, vegetables, wheat, and corn. Much like Tuscany, Piedmont is defined by its love of seasonal produce and a culture of foraging: local mushrooms and truffles, particularly the white truffles of Alba, are among the best in the world.
In the appellation, Dolcetto is planted on approximately 560 hectares, including areas that were once part of the Langhe Monregalesi Dolcetto DOC. In 2011, the designation was subsumed into the Dogliani DOCG, notably removing ‘Dolcetto’ from its title. This change is reflective of a cultural shift in Piedmont, where there is a growing emphasis on promoting terroir over grape variety.
Shift to Terroir Focus
Historically, the region’s iconic wines, with the notable exceptions of Barolo and Barbaresco, were named after the grape varieties from which they were made. Examples include Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Asti, Moscato d’Asti, and Cortese di Gavi. Yet stakeholders increasingly realize that terroir carries a price premium in collector circles.
In that spirit, local growers have enthusiastically adopted the Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (additional geographic definitions) classification, introduced in 1992. This forgotten piece of legislation was revived by the Barolo Consorzio in 2010. Over time, it has become extremely popular in Piemontese viticulture, which growers use to promote their unique soils and territories to a wider audience.
MGAs and Vineyard Naming in Dogliani
In Dogliani, there are over 70 recognized MGAs in circulation today, a number that may increase in the near future. The adoption of vineyard names, often used for specific climats, is a testament to the region’s diversity. With its many different positions, elevations, and microclimates, Dogliani is a region that celebrates diversity. The rules also stipulate that any reference to a vineyard name on the label must refer to at least seven years old vines.
Many of the finest vineyard sites feature clay-limestone soils, are south-facing, and benefit from favorable elevation, all of which are highly desirable characteristics for premium viticulture. Under DOCG regulations, vine planting must occur at elevations of 800 meters or lower. Specifically, an elevation between 400 and 500 meters is ideal for Dolcetto vines. At these elevations, the berries will ripen without sacrificing acidity and freshness.
However, summers have been getting warmer, and certain growers are now looking upwards to avoid their wines becoming too soupy and alcoholic. Super-ripe Dolcetto is just as unpalatable as the tart, astringent dross of old.
Winemaking and regional classifications
Poderi Luigi Einaudi vineyards in Dogliani, Piedmont
Critics often describe Dolcetto as an “easy-drinking” grape: supple and juicy wines that showcase black fruits and a touch of bitter almond on the finish. Yet, while many wines conform to this stereotype, Dolcetto is more varied than people realize. Indeed, there is no paucity of tannin – or anthocyanins – in the purple-black skins of sweet little one; however, many growers are reluctant to make powerfully structured wines for fear of upsetting the market. Consumers generally expect their Dolcetto to be a soft, fruity red wine that is enjoyable from the get-go. The demand for a more ‘serious’ interpretation of the grape remains niche.
As a result, many producers in Asti, for example, eschew oak maturation and lengthy extractions for their Dolcetto wines. Yet Dogliani has long been associated with a more robust and concentrated expression of the grape – closer in style to Barbera or perhaps even Merlot. The appellation is also well established: Dolcetto di Dogliani was awarded DOC status in 1974. It was subsequently promoted to a DOCG in 2011, with the designation Dogliani Superiore reserved for the area’s most prestigious wines. Otherwise, the framework is fairly unobtrusive – wines must have a minimum alcohol of 12 percent (13 in the case of Dogliani Superiore) and be aged for a minimum of 12 months before release to qualify for superiore status.
But Dolcetto is likely the first red variety harvested in Piedmont, crushed, and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. Traditional fermentation vats in Italy were made of oak or chestnut; however, the critical mass has adopted stainless steel. Why? Simply because it is highly effective at making aromatically expressive white and red wines. Maceration on the skins will then extract just the right amounts of tannin and extract.
The Debate Over Oak Aging
Growers in Dogliani are also open to aging their Dolcetto in wood; they argue that the terroir is conducive to this as it yields very high-quality berries that showcase ripe but firm tannins. Moreover, they note that high-quality red wines are almost always matured in oak, so why not Dolcetto? If the aging is handled carefully and sensitively, it contributes flavor, structure, and depth to the wine, although new barrique can overwhelm Dolcetto and potentially spoil it. However, the success stories continue to outweigh the ‘oaky failures.’
Neither is every winemaker interested in ‘beefing up’ Dolcetto’s structure to make something analogous to Barbera on steroids. A small but growing firmament uses carbonic maceration (a technique pioneered in Beaujolais) to make very light and quaffable reds resembling a juicy-fruity Beaujolais Nouveau.
The Duality of Dolcetto
So, what are you left with? Young Dolcetto, especially wines bottled relatively soon after the harvest, has little in common with Nebbiolo. It is a fresh and sprightly red with moderate acidity, soft tannins, and aromas of blackberry and almond on the nose. Its trademark bitterness helps to offset the fruity richness that characterizes all good Dolcetto—a wine for the dinner table.
Flip the coin to oak-aged examples, however, and it’s a very different story. This is Dolcetto at its most dense and fleshly: powerful flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and damson on the mid-palate give way to firm tannins and considerable weight. Yet there is a softness to Dolcetto, a generosity that is quite beguiling. It is seldom austere.
Let me give your audience the lowdown on our territory. The soils of Dogliani are calcareous and clayey, giving flavor and great freshness to the wines. The rather high altitude (about 450 meters) and the preferable south-west exposure yields subtle tannins and a warm, full-bodied fruity structure. Dolcetto is the grape variety that the company is most fond of, the one on which the most effort has been spent. Making an elegant Dogliani is actually more challenging that fashioning a high-class Nebbiolo wine in the vineyards of Barolo!
The company prefers a wine (the two types of Dogliani) that is subtle, precise, punctual, sober. For this reason, we no longer use steel for fermentation or small wood: the basic Dogliani remains in maceration for a few days and is only vinified in concrete; Dogliani Superiore remains in maceration for two weeks, comes from old vines and has two weeks of post-fermentation maceration. The result is a very gastronomic and ‘convivial’ wine. The grape suits a wide variety of dishes and occasions: : from fried foods to red meat, from first courses to complex foods (the tannin and structure help degrease and facilitate digestion).
Nevertheless, the region does face some challenges today. Rising temperatures, mixed with hailstorms, put us in a difficult situation every year. The alcoholic structure of the wines can rise dramatically and in some cases we have introduced night harvesting. In addition, we are searching for new plots at higher altitudes. We also have an energy self-sufficient cellar so as not to have a negative impact on the environment.
At first glance, Dogliani is a pleasant (if unremarkable) part of the Piemontese landscape. Yet, like many towns and villages dotted across northwestern Italy, Dogliani offers a surprising number of good restaurants and osterie; it remains the hub of the local wine industry and has a very amiable, relaxed atmosphere in the evening. Honest, straightforward meat, pasta, and risotto dishes fly the local produce flag, and many destinations boast a large selection of Dolcetto vintages—and several options by the glass.
With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.
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