Italian Wine Adventure #12: Dolcetto! (Similar to Gamay, the Sommelier’s secret weapon)

Show Notes

Episode 125: Italian Wine Adventure #12: Dolcetto!  00:00

Hello! And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and my wine pairing partner in crime, Carmela. And we are The Wine Pair! 

If you are new to our podcast, here is a quick orientation! Each week, we explore a different wine varietal or blend—like Pinot Noir or Bordeaux or Dolcetto — and dive into what makes it unique, special,and worth learning about. Our goal is to help you expand your wine knowledge in a fun way that normal people can understand. We also taste and review 2-3 wines under $20 each, and share our scores and recommendations to help you find great wines without breaking the bank. So, thank you so much for joining us; we promise it will be worth your time! And, we are proud to say that Decanter Magazine calls us fun, irreverent, chatty, and entertaining. [AI Generated]

We are back on one of our Italian wine adventures, Carmela, where we take a virtual trip to Italy to learn more about Italian wines, especially ones that may fly under the radar, and this week we are going back to the Piedmont area of North West Italy to learn about, taste, and review the red wine called Dolcetto. This is our 12th Italian Wine Adventure, and it seems that these episodes on Italian wines are some of our most popular, so we are going to keep doing them. Ok?!?

Now, most of you probably know, if you have been listening to us, that the big wines from Piedmont are the reds Barolo and Barbaresco made from the Nebbiolo grape. The third significant red wine grape from Piedmont is, you guessed it, Dolcetto. Now, we’ll talk a bit more about Dolcetto wine and what exactly it is in a minute, but first I wanted to talk a little bit about the wine growing area of Piedmont, or, as the Italians say, Piemonte. 

Piedmont, despite its very big reputation, at least for wine nerds, is the seventh largest wine producing area in Italy. That may surprise you a bit because even though it makes only about 5% of all of the wines made in Italy,18% of the wine that Italy exports comes from Piedmont. 

Piedmont is not the typical terrain most of us think about when we think of Italy. Most of us think of warm weather areas, like the basically sub-tropical areas in the southern part of Italy, but Piedmont is actually surrounded by mountains on three sides - the Alps in the north and west, and the Apennines in the south. You may not remember this, but Italy hosted the winter Olympics in 2006, and is going to do so again in 2026, and in 2006, the host city was Turin or Torino which is in Piedmont. The host city in 2026 will be Milan which is in Lombardy which is close to Piedmont, but not Piedmont, so whatever.

Why does this matter about Piedmont, the fact that it is surrounded by mountains? Well, it matters because the altitude and the Alps help to temper the heat, and so the warm days and cool nights that are produced are really good for growing grapes.

There are lots of different and well known wines made in Piedmont. Again, the biggest names in Italian wine, at least from a quality and cost standpoint, are Barolo and Barbaresco, but Piedmont is also home to other wines, including wines made from the same grape as Barolo and Barbaresco called Nebbiolo, another one called Barbera, which is the most planted grape in Piedmont and is most often found in stores as either Barbera d’Asti or Barbera d’Alba depending on what area it is from, although there are other areas it is from as well. 

Moscato d’Asti is another famous wine from Piedmont, a white wine known to be a sweet and fruity wine, as is the sparkling Asti Spumante which also tends to be a sweet sparkler and is also made from Moscato. And one of our favorite white wines called Gavi, or sometimes Gavi di Gavi, which is made from the Cortese grape, and an up and coming white we’ll have to do an episode on one of these days called Arneis. Another fairly well-known wine from the region is the sparkling red wine called Brachetto, which is a sweet bubbly best paired with things like chocolate. 

And of course, there is Dolcetto, known as the “little sweet one,” often compared to Gamay, which is the grape in Beaujolais from Burgundy.

There are other wine grapes and wine in Piedmont, but those are the ones most people will be at least somewhat aware of. In other words, the wines you need to know! 

Speaking of Burgundy, Piedmont is relatively close to Burgundy, and the wines of Piedmont have at least been somewhat influenced by Burgundian winemaking over the years. We can probably say that the Piedmont area of Italy is likely its most prestigious, although some may argue that Tuscany is at least on par, which is similar to Burgundy and Bordeaux in France. Which one is better, which makes the best wines? That is really dependent on taste and production, so you have to decide!

So, that’s a quick little intro into Piedmont wine, and you can find some links to the articles we use for research if you go to our website and look for this episode and click on the show notes. But we need to start learning more about Dolcetto, and then we have three Dolcetto wines to taste and review (that’s right, this week we are back to trying and reviewing three wines so we’ll see how that goes)   . . . 

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ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/dolcetto-wine-guide 
• https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/beginners-guide-wines-from-italys-piedmont/ 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont_wine 

Topic: WTF is Dolcetto?  10:56

So let’s learn a little bit about this wine and grape called Dolcetto, which again means “little sweet one” - like me. 

Despite its name, Dolcetto does not make a sweet wine, so let’s get that out of the way right away. And, unlike a lot of wines from Italy and Spain and France, the name of the wine is also the name of the grape. 

Dolcetto is a grape that ripens early, has moderate acidity, moderate tannins, and is considered bone dry. Look, that’s just wine shit you need to know, ok?  The wine can sometimes be described as tart, but also as having a rich and round mouthfeel, and often considered to be soft and fruity. It also makes a very dark red wine. 

As we mentioned, Dolcetto is not as well regarded as the wines made from Nebbiolo grapes in Piedmont, namely Barolo and Barbaresco, but it is a popular wine in the area because it is easier to grow and can be made into wines at a much more rapid clip than Nebbiolo which often requires many years to age in the bottle before it is released. And, it is also less expensive than many of the red wines from Piedmont, so there’s that advantage as well.

Dolcetto is grown almost exclusively in Piedmont, and it can be classified as a DOC or DOCG depending on where it is from. Remember, DOC and DOCG are the highest classifications for Italian wine, with DOCG being the pinnacle. The best Dolcetto wines are said to come from Alba, Asti, and Dogliani, so if you are looking for good versions of the wine, you may want to be on the lookout for those. Today, we have one wine from Alba and one for Dogliani, and the third is from Langhe which is more well known for Nebbiolo grapes. 

One article we found, and when I say we I mean me, which there is a link to in our show notes, says that Dolcetto is sometimes considered a secret weapon for sommeliers because it is not overpowering, is well balanced, and can pair well with the typical Italian foods like pizza and pasta with tomato sauce. So the next time you are in an Italian restaurant and the somm says what about a Dolcetto, you don’t have to act like you don’t know what he is talking about! 

The other great thing about Dolcetto, as I mentioned earlier, is that it does not need to age, and so you can generally pick it up off the shelf and serve it. Which is nice! Because wines like Barolo and Barbaresco need to age for 10 years or more!

Now, there evidently was a movement in the 1990s and early 2000s to make the wines in a more New World or what I would call California style - oaky, high alcohol fruit bombs - but thankfully there has been countermovement back to the more restrained Old World style of wine making which is more subdued, which we prefer. 

This is also a wine that some say to serve slightly chilled, as you would a Gamay. That means that you can put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving. Any longer and the wine will be too cold and may bring out an astringent or alcohol taste in the wine.

So, I am expecting this wine to be a good party wine or cookout wine, maybe even a good Tuesday night wine, in other words, what we would call a crowd pleaser. And, on that note, I think it’s time to learn a little more about the specific wines we are drinking today. 

ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.wineenthusiast.com/varietals/dolcetto/ 
• https://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-135-dolcetto

Dolcetto Wines We Chose for This Episode 16:18

As usual, all of the wines we have chosen for this episode are under $20, and all of them should be relatively easy to find because I bought them all at wine.com. A few of these producers are very well known, and so I suspect you will be able to find these wines at a local wine shop with a good selection, particularly if they have a good Italian wine selection. Regardless, in a wine shop with even a decent Italian wine section, you should be able to find a Dolcetto. 

The first wine we are going to drink today is the 2021 Giuseppe Cortese Langhe Dolcetto. As it says in the name, this wine is from Langhe, which is more well known for Nebbiolo grapes, and this wine is in a well-known Barbaresco area called Rabaja. However, this is a 100% Dolcetto wine, as all of the wines today are. It comes from an area called the Trifolera zone, which is named after the white truffles - those super expensive mushrooms - that are found in the area.  

The winemaker says that this wine is made and stored in stainless steel, meaning no oak, so it should have a fresh taste to it. They use a pump over maceration method for 5 days, which means they extract flavor and color by pouring the juice over the cap every day for 5 days. Then they age the wine in stainless steel for 6 months, and then bottle it about 3 months after that, so it is not a long aging wine. The wines have been made by the Cortese family for 3 generations, and they are still a small, family owned winery.

From what I can tell, the wine is vegan and organic, they use wild yeast, and the grapes are hand-picked. So if you like that sort of thing, this could be a good wine for you. 

The next wine we are going to drink is called Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba, and Paolo Scavino is a very well known winemaker - know run by his great grandchildren - most famous for their Barolos, which are among your dad’s very favorite, Carmela. 

These wines are said to come from 70 year old vines, and they are also fermented and stored in stainless steel for 6 months before bottling. They also say they use indigenous yeasts. 

Even Scavino says this wine is an everyday wine that is fresh and vibrant. We are drinking the 2022 vintage, and this is a well-rated wine, receiving a 90 from Wine Spectator and a 92 from Decanter. So this could be a really great wine. 

The last wine we are going to drink is called Luigi Einaudi Dogliani, and this is the 2020 vintage of this wine. Note that this is from the Dogliani area as indicated in the name, and this wine has a DOCG designation, so the very highest quality rating in Italian wines. 

This wine comes from a specific vineyard in Dogliani called St. Giacomo, which is important if you are into single vineyard wines. Remember, the thing about single vineyard wines, which we did a minisode on, is that people think the quality of the wine can be very high and very consistent. This wine also is fermented and aged in stainless steel, and this wine ages just a touch longer than the other two, saying 8 to 10 months in the stainless steel vats before it is bottled. 

The winemaker is named Giuseppe Caviola, who also goes by Beppe which is like Joey to us, who was named winemaker of the year in 2002, and he is a winemaker or consultant at a ton of Italian wineries. The winery itself not only covers the Dogliani region, but also the Cannubi region, which is renowned for great Barolo. The winery is run by the granddaughter and great grandson of Luigi Enuadi who was actually the president of Italy from 1948 to 1955. 

This wine also got some good accolades, receiving a 90 rating from Wine Spectator. So, again, if it is a good wine, this will be a pretty good deal for a wine. 

Interestingly enough, none of these wines looks to be oaked, so they may be right up our alley!

But, I think that is enough information - let’s get to drinking! We’ll take a quick break and be right back. And, if you have these wines or similar wines, drink along with us!


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://winebow-files.s3.amazonaws.com/public/vintage/techsheets/601955_Giuseppe-Cortese_Giuseppe-Cortese-Langhe-Dolcetto_2021.pdf?VersionId=WEMXDGCe9sm.Ah6SAMV0m_PuIFRiILRd 
• https://www.goodpairdays.com/au/wines/details/giuseppe-cortese-dolcetto-2021/ 
• https://www.skurnik.com/sku/dolcetto-dalba-paolo-scavino-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/ 
• https://www.empsonusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Einaudi-Dolcetto-2020-Tech-Sheet.pdf 

2021 Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto, 2022 Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba, 2020 Luigi Einaudi Dogliani Wine Tasting, Pairing, and Review 23:08

Wine: Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto (Click here to learn more about this wine on wine.com. We may get compensated if you purchase this wine.)
Region: Italy, Piedmont
Year: 2021
Price: $15.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 12.5%
Grapes: Dolcetto

What we tasted and smelled in this Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto:

• On the nose: Earth, vegetal, bright cherry, heat, perfumy, flowering herbs, lilac
• In the mouth: Tart cherry, underripe cherry, cherry or strawberry Now and Later, crunchy red fruit, not a lot of depth, a little bitter on the end, stone, clay, not a lot of tannins

Food to pair with this Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto: Summer cookout wine, charred vegetables, sausage, steak, sandwich, picnic wine
 
As a reminder on our rating scale, we rate on a scale of 1-10, where 7 and above means that we would buy it, and 4 and below means that we are likely to pour it down the sink, and a 5 or 6 means we are likely to drink it and finish it, but we are probably not going to buy it.

Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto Wine Rating:
Joe: 6/10
Carmela: 6/10


Wine: Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba (Click here to learn more about this wine on wine.com. We may get compensated if you purchase this wine.)
Region: Italy, Piedmont
Year: 2022
Price: $16.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: Dolcetto
Professional Rating: WS 90, D 92

What we tasted and smelled in this  Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba:

• On the nose: Australian red licorice, leather, fruity, sweet cherry, Twizzlers, chalk, clay, dusty summer road with wild flowers on the side of the road
• In the mouth: Cherry, cherry Luden cough drop, cough syrup, medicinal, chewy red candy, like a Gamay

Food to pair with this  Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba: Thanksgiving wine, charcuterie, turkey sandwich, chicken dishes, teriyaki chicken, focaccia

 Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba Wine Rating:
Joe: 7/10
Carmela: 7/10


Wine: Luigi Einaudi Dogliani (Click here to learn more about this wine on wine.com. We may get compensated if you purchase this wine.)
Region: Italy, Piedmont
Year: 2020
Price: $17.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: Dolcetto
Professional Rating: WS 90

What we tasted and smelled in this Luigi Einaudi Dogliani:

• On the nose: Earthy, matchstick, road tar, some cherry, clay, vergetal, stone
• In the mouth: Medicinal, unsweetened cough syrup, cherry band-aid, an old Twizzler

Food to pair with this Luigi Einaudi Dogliani: Needs food, really spicy sausage, something really spicy hot

Luigi Einaudi Dogliani Wine Rating: 
Joe: 5/10
Carmela: 5/10

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba
• Joe: Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba

Not totally sold on Dolcetto. If we are doing an inexpensive Piedmont wine, we are doing a Nebbiolo.

Taste profiles expected from Dolcetto wine  41:54

• General 
  • Wine Folly: Plum, blackberry, cocoa, black pepper, violet
  • Wine Enthusiast: blackberry, plum, spice, licorice, almond
  • Food & Wine: brambly berries and cherry
• Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto
  • Winery: notes of juicy black cherries, black currants and violets. This wine is very elegant and velvety with harmonious flavors and a pleasantly bitter aftertaste.
  • Good Pair Days: With no oak treatment, this wine is popping with blueberry, cranberry and electric violets. The palate is mid-weight, snappy acidity and textured just enough to satisfy. 
•  Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba
  • Winery: Purple color, fresh and delicate aromatics of cherry, blueberry, spices and flowers. The structure has a lightness and brightness in it. Well defined by good tannins and harmonious acidity
  • WS: An elegant style, this balanced red features violet, blackberry, black currant and mineral flavors, with echoes of fruit and a firm feel to the lingering finish. Drink now through 2027.
  • D: Candied nose of red fruits, restrained, mineral, fresh precision of aromas. Clean and pure, with good intensity.
• Luigi Einaudi Dogliani
  • Winery: of a ruby red color, which tends toward violet with a rich fruity bouquet, full bodied with an intense aroma of undergrowth and a pleasantly tannic taste, with a slight final almond note, typical of this wine
  • WS: A ripe and fruity red, featuring black cherry, blackberry, violet and earth notes. Velvety in texture, with terrific harmony and a lingering aftertaste of dark fruit and spice.

Outro and how to find The Wine Pair Podcast 44:20

Ok, so, Carmela, it’s time for us to go, but before we do, we want to thank you very much for listening to us - and if you haven’t done so yet, now would be the perfect time to subscribe to our podcast and also a fantastic time to leave us a nice rating and review on our website or Apple podcasts or other podcast service - and it is an awesome and free way to support us and help us grow listeners.

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Alright, with that, we are going to sign off, so thanks again, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine.

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