Dolcetto
Encyclopedia
Dolcetto is a black wine
grape
variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy
. The Italian word dolcetto means "little sweet one", but it is not certain that the name originally carried any reference to the grape’s sugar levels: it is possible that it derives from the name of the hills where the vine is cultivated. In any case the wines produced are nearly always dry. They can be tannic and fruity with moderate, or decidedly low, levels of acidity and are typically meant to be consumed one to two years after release.
and was brought to Monferrato some time in the eleventh century. A competing theory has the grape originating in the Piedmontese village of Dogliani
. In 1593 an ordinance of the municipality of Dogliani which forbade the harvesting of dozzetti grapes earlier than Saint Matthew’s Day, unless an exceptional authorisation had been granted, has been taken to refer to this variety, which is still known in local dialects under the names ‘duzet’ and ‘duset’. A document of 1633 records the presence of Dolcetto in the cellars of the Arboreo family of Valenza
. In 1700 Barnabà Centurione sent the wine as a gift to King George II of Great Britain
.
and Diano d'Alba
in the province of Cuneo
, although the greatest volumes come from around Alba and Ovada
. The grape is also found in Liguria under the name Ormeasco, and in the Oltrepò Pavese
where it is called Nebbiolo or Nibièu.
All but one of the 100% Dolcetto DOCs have two levels, the "standard" version typically requiring a minimum 11.5% ABV, the Superiore 12.5%. They are Dolcetto di Dogliani (DOCG since 2005), Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti, Dolcetto delle Langhe Monregalesi, Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Ovada and Langhe Dolcetto (no Superiore). Riviera Ligure di Ponente Ormeasco requires >95% Dolcetto/Ormeasco; Colli Tortonesi Dolcetto, Monferrato Dolcetto and Pineronese Dolcetto a minimum of 85%, and Valsusa a minimum of 60%. Golfo Del Tigullio requires 20-70%, while Lago di Corbara and Rosso Orvietano can contain up to 20% Dolcetto.
Outside of Italy Dolcetto is known as Douce Noire in Savoie
and Charbono
in California. However, DNA fingerprinting done at the University of California, Davis
have shown that the actual Douce Noire and Charbono vines are not, in fact, Dolcetto but two different vines. In spite of this confirmation, some plantings of true Dolcetto vines still retain the local synonyms in some areas of Savoie and California.
The grape was first brought to California by expatriate
Italians and is most popular in Mendocino County
, Russian River Valley AVA
, Napa Valley AVA
, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
, Sta. Rita Hills AVA
, and Santa Barbara County
. There is also some plantings in the Oregon AVAs of Umpqua Valley AVA
and Southern Oregon AVA
as well as the state wide appellation
s of New Mexico
and Pennsylvania
.
Australia is home to the oldest current plantings of Dolcetto with vines dating back to the 1860s.
using only the Dolcetto grape variety. The wines were recognized as DOC
in 1974. In 2005 the original DOC for Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore was revoked and replaced by a DOCG; this wine, which can also be sold under the name Dogliano is made within a more limited zone than the DOC and the yield of grapes is restricted to 70 quintals per hectare. Furthermore, to qualify for the DOCG status the wines must be aged for at least one year. The vineyard
s are restricted to the hilly areas within the boundaries of the communes of Bastia Mondovì
, Belvedere Langhe
, Cigliè
, Clavesana
, Dogliani
, Farigliano
, Monchiero
and Rocca Cigliè
, plus parts of the communes of Cissone
and Somano
.
and licorice flavors with some prunes and a characteristically bitter finish reminiscent of almonds. While the name implies sweetness, the wines are normally dry
. The tannic nature of the grape contributes to a characteristic bitter finish. The dark purple skin of Dolcetto grapes have high amounts of anthocyanin
s in them which require only a short maceration
time with the skin to produce a dark colored wine. The amount of skin contact affects the resulting tannin levels in the wine with most winemaker
s preferring to limit maceration time to as short as possible. During fermentation
the wine is prone to the wine fault
of reduction
.
s and pizza
dishes.
and the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese)Nera Dolce, Nibio, Noirin D'Espagne, Nord Du Lot Et Garonne, Ocanette, Orincasca, Ormeasca (at Ormea
and Pieve di Teco
), Ormeasco (Liguria), Picot Rouge, Plant de Calarin, Plant de Chapareillan, Plant de Moirans, Plant de Montmelian, Plant de Provence, Plant de Savoie, Plant de Turin, Plant du Roi, Premasto, Primaticcio, Primativo, Primitivo Nero, Promotico, Provençal, Ravanellino, Refork, Refork Debeli, Refork Male, Refosk Debeli, Rotstieliger Dolcedo, Savoyard, Turin, Turino, Uva d'Acqui, Uva d'Acquia, Uva del Monferrato, Uva di Ovada, Uva di Roccagrimalda, and Dolsin Nero.
The Dolcetto di Boca, grown in the Novarese, is quite distinct while the rare Piedmontese Dolcetto bianco is an unrelated white grape.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The Italian word dolcetto means "little sweet one", but it is not certain that the name originally carried any reference to the grape’s sugar levels: it is possible that it derives from the name of the hills where the vine is cultivated. In any case the wines produced are nearly always dry. They can be tannic and fruity with moderate, or decidedly low, levels of acidity and are typically meant to be consumed one to two years after release.
History
One theory suggests that the grape originated in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was brought to Monferrato some time in the eleventh century. A competing theory has the grape originating in the Piedmontese village of Dogliani
Dogliani
Dogliani is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km northeast of Cuneo....
. In 1593 an ordinance of the municipality of Dogliani which forbade the harvesting of dozzetti grapes earlier than Saint Matthew’s Day, unless an exceptional authorisation had been granted, has been taken to refer to this variety, which is still known in local dialects under the names ‘duzet’ and ‘duset’. A document of 1633 records the presence of Dolcetto in the cellars of the Arboreo family of Valenza
Valenza
Valenza is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km east of Turin and about 11 km north of Alessandria.-History:...
. In 1700 Barnabà Centurione sent the wine as a gift to King George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
Regions
Most Dolcetto is found in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, where many of the top estates produce Dolcetto on less favoured sites as an "early to market wine" to generate some income for the winery while the Nebbiolo and Barbera are being matured. It is particularly associated with the towns of DoglianiDogliani
Dogliani is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km northeast of Cuneo....
and Diano d'Alba
Diano d'Alba
Diano d'Alba is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km southeast of Turin and about 50 km northeast of Cuneo....
in the province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
, although the greatest volumes come from around Alba and Ovada
Ovada
Ovada is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km southeast of Turin and about 30 km south of Alessandria....
. The grape is also found in Liguria under the name Ormeasco, and in the Oltrepò Pavese
Oltrepò Pavese
The Oltrepò Pavese is the area of the Province of Pavia, in the north-west Italian region of Lombardy, which lies to the south of the river Po. Extending over an area of c...
where it is called Nebbiolo or Nibièu.
All but one of the 100% Dolcetto DOCs have two levels, the "standard" version typically requiring a minimum 11.5% ABV, the Superiore 12.5%. They are Dolcetto di Dogliani (DOCG since 2005), Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti, Dolcetto delle Langhe Monregalesi, Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Ovada and Langhe Dolcetto (no Superiore). Riviera Ligure di Ponente Ormeasco requires >95% Dolcetto/Ormeasco; Colli Tortonesi Dolcetto, Monferrato Dolcetto and Pineronese Dolcetto a minimum of 85%, and Valsusa a minimum of 60%. Golfo Del Tigullio requires 20-70%, while Lago di Corbara and Rosso Orvietano can contain up to 20% Dolcetto.
Outside of Italy Dolcetto is known as Douce Noire in Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
and Charbono
Charbono
Charbono or Corbeau or Bonarda is a grape variety from the Savoie region of France. It is the second most commonly grown variety in Argentina, where it is known as Bonarda . It is also found in California...
in California. However, DNA fingerprinting done at the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
have shown that the actual Douce Noire and Charbono vines are not, in fact, Dolcetto but two different vines. In spite of this confirmation, some plantings of true Dolcetto vines still retain the local synonyms in some areas of Savoie and California.
The grape was first brought to California by expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
Italians and is most popular in Mendocino County
Mendocino County wine
The Mendocino County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California. The region is part of the larger North Coast AVA and one of California's largest and most climatically diverse wine growing regions...
, Russian River Valley AVA
Russian River Valley AVA
The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California. Centered around the Russian River, the Russian River Valley AVA accounts for about one-sixth of the total planted vineyard acreage in Sonoma County. The appellation was granted AVA status in 1983 and...
, Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, United States. Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine regions in the United States...
, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Santa Cruz Mountains. It includes three counties in California: Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo. Recognized as an AVA in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation was among the first to be defined by its...
, Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Sta. Rita Hills AVA
The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California. From its creation in 2001 through 2006, the wine appellation was officially named Santa Rita Hills AVA...
, and Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
. There is also some plantings in the Oregon AVAs of Umpqua Valley AVA
Umpqua Valley AVA
Part of the larger Southern Oregon AVA the Umpqua Valley American Viticultural Area is located entirely within Douglas County, Oregon. The official boundaries of the AVA are detailed in the United States of America Title 27 Chapter I Part 9 section 89. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir, Pinot...
and Southern Oregon AVA
Southern Oregon AVA
The Southern Oregon AVA, is an American Viticultural Area which lies in Southern Oregon, United States. The Southern Oregon AVA was established in 2004, and was created to include the land of two smaller AVAs, the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpqua Valley AVA...
as well as the state wide appellation
Appellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown; other types of food often have appellations as well...
s of New Mexico
New Mexico wine
New Mexico has the longest history of wine production in the United States. In 1629, Franciscan friar García de Zúñiga and a Capuchín monk named Antonio de Arteaga planted the first wine grapes in the Río Grande valley of southern New Mexico. Viticulture took hold in the valley, and by the year...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania wine
Pennsylvania wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The climate in Pennsylvania is mild compared to surrounding states, with the moderating effects of Lake Erie to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. More than 100 wineries are located in all parts...
.
Australia is home to the oldest current plantings of Dolcetto with vines dating back to the 1860s.
Dolcetto di Dogliani
Dolcetto di Dogliani, and Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore are Italian red wines produced in the LangheLanghe
The Langhe is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy....
using only the Dolcetto grape variety. The wines were recognized as DOC
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
in 1974. In 2005 the original DOC for Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore was revoked and replaced by a DOCG; this wine, which can also be sold under the name Dogliano is made within a more limited zone than the DOC and the yield of grapes is restricted to 70 quintals per hectare. Furthermore, to qualify for the DOCG status the wines must be aged for at least one year. The vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s are restricted to the hilly areas within the boundaries of the communes of Bastia Mondovì
Bastia Mondovì
Bastia Mondovì is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km south of Turin and about 30 km northeast of Cuneo....
, Belvedere Langhe
Belvedere Langhe
Belvedere Langhe is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km northeast of Cuneo...
, Cigliè
Cigliè
Cigliè is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km south of Turin and about 30 km east of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 185 and an area of 6.0 km²....
, Clavesana
Clavesana
Clavesana is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km south of Turin and about 30 km northeast of Cuneo...
, Dogliani
Dogliani
Dogliani is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km northeast of Cuneo....
, Farigliano
Farigliano
Farigliano is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km northeast of Cuneo...
, Monchiero
Monchiero
Monchiero is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km northeast of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 560 and an area of 5.0 km².Monchiero borders the following municipalities:...
and Rocca Cigliè
Rocca Cigliè
Rocca Cigliè is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km east of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 149 and an area of 7.3 km²....
, plus parts of the communes of Cissone
Cissone
Cissone is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 45 km northeast of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 82 and an area of 5.8 km²....
and Somano
Somano
Somano is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 40 km northeast of Cuneo...
.
Wines
Dolcetto wines are known for black cherryBlack Cherry
Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a woody plant species belonging to the genus Prunus...
and licorice flavors with some prunes and a characteristically bitter finish reminiscent of almonds. While the name implies sweetness, the wines are normally dry
Sweetness of wine
The subjective sweetness of a wine is determined by the interaction of several factors, including the amount of sugar in the wine to be sure, but also the relative levels of alcohol, acids, and tannins. Briefly: sugars and alcohol enhance a wine's sweetness; acids and bitter tannins counteract it...
. The tannic nature of the grape contributes to a characteristic bitter finish. The dark purple skin of Dolcetto grapes have high amounts of anthocyanin
Anthocyanin
Anthocyanins are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue according to pH...
s in them which require only a short maceration
Maceration (wine)
Maceration is the winemaking process where the phenolic materials of the grape— tannins, coloring agents and flavor compounds— are leached from the grape skins, seeds and stems into the must. Maceration is the process by which the red wine receives its red color, since 99% of all grape juice is...
time with the skin to produce a dark colored wine. The amount of skin contact affects the resulting tannin levels in the wine with most winemaker
Winemaker
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:*Cooperating with viticulturists...
s preferring to limit maceration time to as short as possible. During fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
the wine is prone to the wine fault
Wine fault
A wine fault or defect is an unpleasant characteristic of a wine often resulting from poor winemaking practices or storage conditions, and leading to wine spoilage. Many of the compounds that cause wine faults are already naturally present in wine but at insufficient concentrations to adversely...
of reduction
Redox
Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed....
.
Food pairing
Overall, Dolcetto is considered a light easy drinking red wine that pairs well with pastaPasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
s and pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
dishes.
Synonyms and homonyms
Acqui, Barbirono, Bathiolin, Batialin, Beina, Bignola, Bignona, Bignonia, Bignonina, Bourdon Noir, Cassolo, Charbonneau, Charbono, Chasselas Noir, Cote Rouge Merille, Crete de Coq, Debili Rifosk, Dolcedo Rotstieliger, Dolceto, Dolcetta Nera, Dolcetto A Raspe Verde, Dolcetto A Raspo Rosso, Dolcetto Nero, Dolcetto Piemontese, Dolchetto, Dolcino Nero, Dolciut, Dolsin, Dolsin Raro, Dolzin, Dolzino, Dosset, Gros Noir de Montelimar, Gros Plant, Maennlicher Refosco, Mauvais Noir, Montelimar, Monteuse, Montmelian, Mosciolino, Nebbiolo (dialect Nibièu, in the TortoneseTortona
Tortona is a comune of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines.-History:...
and the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese)Nera Dolce, Nibio, Noirin D'Espagne, Nord Du Lot Et Garonne, Ocanette, Orincasca, Ormeasca (at Ormea
Ormea
Ormea is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km south of Turin and about 40 km southeast of Cuneo...
and Pieve di Teco
Pieve di Teco
Pieve di Teco is a comune in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 90 km southwest of Genoa and about 20 km northwest of Imperia...
), Ormeasco (Liguria), Picot Rouge, Plant de Calarin, Plant de Chapareillan, Plant de Moirans, Plant de Montmelian, Plant de Provence, Plant de Savoie, Plant de Turin, Plant du Roi, Premasto, Primaticcio, Primativo, Primitivo Nero, Promotico, Provençal, Ravanellino, Refork, Refork Debeli, Refork Male, Refosk Debeli, Rotstieliger Dolcedo, Savoyard, Turin, Turino, Uva d'Acqui, Uva d'Acquia, Uva del Monferrato, Uva di Ovada, Uva di Roccagrimalda, and Dolsin Nero.
The Dolcetto di Boca, grown in the Novarese, is quite distinct while the rare Piedmontese Dolcetto bianco is an unrelated white grape.
External links
- VIVC Bibliography From the official site of the Piedmont region.
- J. Suckling "Overlooked Treasures: Dolcetto, Italy" Wine Spectator September 26, 2001
- Dolcetto d'Alba DOC Vintage Chart
- Dolcetto Food Pairing