What is Dolcetto d’Alba wine?
Dolcetto is a grape native to the Piedmont region in northern Italy.
While the name, which translates to ‘little sweet one’ may make it sound like this is a sweet wine, most Dolcetto wines are dry, medium-bodied, still, red wines with medium tannin that receive little to no oak treatment and are drunk much earlier than Piemonte reds like Barbera, Barolo, and Barbaresco. They are often soft, fruity, and balanced with a decent amount of acidity which makes them incredibly food-friendly.
Where are the grapes for Dolcetto d’Alba grown?
While Dolcetto is grown all over Piedmont (the Barbaresco and Barolo regions, included) the two DOCs where Dolcetto is most prominent are the Dolcetto d’Alba DOC and the Dolcetto d’Asti DOC. There is also a Dolcetto d’Alba Superiore DOC which requires a minimum period of aging.
The grapes in the Dolcetto d’Alba DOC are grown in the Langhe hills in the Alba region, in vineyards that have cooler temperatures and higher altitudes than those reserved for the Barbera grapes that are grown in the same region.
The grapes in the Dolcetto d’Asti DOC are grown in the Langhe hills in the Monferrato area of Piedmont, just to the southeast of the town of Asti.
Dolcetto d’Alba produces more Dolcetto than the Dolcetto d’Asti DOC, and I normally prefer the Dolcettos from the Alba DOC over those from the Asti DOC.
What Pairs Well with Dolcetto d’Alba?
Dolcetto is a medium-bodied red with a decent amount of acidity that’s full-bodied enough to pair with the richer dishes and cheeses that are traditional in Piedmont yet also soft and supple enough to work with lighter fare. Anything from pasta with cheese, tomato-based dishes, or steak tartare to pizza, cheese and charcuterie, or lean white meats pair well with Dolcetto.
A few examples of traditional Piedmont foods or dishes (which are richer, with ingredients that often are more similar to what you’d find in Switzerland than Italy) that pair nicely with Dolcetto (or Barbera, Langhe Nebbiolo, Barbaresco, etc.) are the following:
Gnocchi alla Romana, Gnocchi Castelmano, Vitello Tonnato (thinly sliced veal, served cold with a creamy tuna and caper sauce), and Tajarin pasta with truffles.
Is Dolcetto d’Alba Expensive?
Dolcetto is normally a very affordable wine. At a winery in Piedmont, for example, you might pay 35 Euros for their Barolo or Barbaresco but only 10 or 12 Euros for their Dolcetto. In retail stores in the U.S. you’ll probably pay more like $40-$65 for Barolo and $12-$25 for a Dolcetto.
Where Can I buy Dolcetto d’Alba?
Most major online wine retailers and wine retail stores such as Wine.com, Total Wine & More, BevMo, etc. that carry an international selection of wines will carry at least a couple of different Dolcetto d’Albas. You’ll find wines from smaller, boutique producers if you seek out importers that specialize in importing wines from the Piedmont region.
To find a good wine importer (there are plenty of importers but not all import the same quality wines) that sells wines in your state, it’s necessary to search for them by state or ask for a recommendation at your local wine shop. Even better, if you have some favorite European wines that you buy regularly-take a look at the back label to find out who imports them and ask the wine shop if that importer also brings in any Dolcetto d’Alba.
Some of My Personal Favorite Dolcetto d’Alba wines and producers:
Il Palazzotto Dolcetto di Diana d’Alba ‘Sori Cristina’ (imported by Kermit Lynch, one of my favorite French-Italian wine importers in the U.S.)
Cascina Delle Rose Dolcetto d’Alba