Dolcetto

Dolcetto is a dry, medium-bodied red from Piedmont in northern Italy, packed with black cherry, plum and blackberry alongside violet, herbs and a distinctive almond note. Fruity, soft and made for drinking young, it’s brilliant with pizza, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, sausages, charcuterie and mushroom dishes.

Taste:

First things first: despite the name, Dolcetto isn't a sweet wine.

It's typically dry and medium-bodied, with relatively low acidity, moderate tannins and plenty of juicy dark fruit. Expect black cherry, plum, blackberry and sometimes blueberry, often joined by violet, liquorice, herbs and gentle spice.

A slightly bitter almond note on the finish is particularly characteristic and gives all that fruit a savoury edge.

Compared with Piedmont's heavyweight Nebbiolo wines, Dolcetto is generally softer, fruitier and designed to be enjoyed much younger.

Same region. Considerably less commitment.

Food Pairings:

Dolcetto was made for the kind of Italian food you actually fancy on a Friday night.

Pizza is a brilliant match, particularly pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, prosciutto, Margherita or meat feast.

For pasta, try lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, beef ragù, meatballs in tomato sauce, sausage pasta, mushroom pasta or other tomato-based pasta dishes.

It's also great with Italian sausages, roast pork, pork chops, meatballs, roast chicken and charcuterie, including salami, prosciutto and mortadella.

For meat-free options, pair Dolcetto with mushroom risotto, aubergine parmigiana, grilled vegetables or lentil dishes.

On the cheese board, Parmesan, Pecorino, Taleggio and medium-strength Cheddar are all good matches.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Dolcetto, Barbera is an obvious next move for another Piedmont red. Barbera brings brighter acidity and similarly juicy fruit, making it another brilliant food wine.

Gamay is worth exploring if it's Dolcetto's fresh, fruity and approachable side you love most, while Valpolicella keeps things Italian with plenty of bright red fruit.

Ready to explore Piedmont's more serious side? Nebbiolo takes you into a completely different world of tannins, roses and ageing potential.

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More About Dolcetto:

Dolcetto is closely associated with Piedmont in northwestern Italy, where it shares vineyard space with Barbera and Nebbiolo.

Its name roughly translates as "little sweet one", but that's thought to refer to the grape itself rather than the finished wine. The wines are normally completely dry.

Dolcetto ripens earlier than Nebbiolo, which historically allowed growers to plant it in cooler vineyard sites while saving their prime locations for the region's more demanding star.

It also means Dolcetto is generally released young, putting fresh fruit ahead of years in the cellar.

Called "little sweet one". Isn't sweet.

Wine naming remains undefeated.