Italy — wine

Dolcetto d'Alba DOC

Dolcetto d'Alba DOC occupies the hills around Alba in the Langhe, the same celebrated territory as Barolo and Barbaresco. The Dolcetto grape — producing wines of vivid purple colour, low acidity, silky tannins, and intense flavours of black cherry, liquorice, and bitter chocolate — is historically the everyday wine of Piedmont: approachable young, food-friendly, and honest. While Barolo producers age their Nebbiolo in barrel for years, they drink Dolcetto from their own cellars. This tradition has created a category of wine with remarkable terroir transparency and character.

Year Rating Notes
2023 Fresh, vivid vintage — Dolcetto's most appealing characteristics (deep colour, silky texture, black cherry intensity) were all present in abundance
2022 Perfect Dolcetto vintage — early-ripening variety benefited from warm summer; wines showed intense purple colour, silky tannins, and characteristic bitter cherry-chocolate notes
2021 Good vintage for immediate-drinking Dolcetto; vivid fruit expression and characteristic low-acid accessibility from release
2020 Generous, fruit-forward Dolcetto with expressive blackberry and liquorice character; best drunk young for maximum vibrancy