Wine of the Day for January 13, 2010
Dolcetto
We are coming out with a Dolcetto this month and so I wanted to give a bit of time to this fabulous grape and wine. I was introduced to Dolcetto a couple of years ago through my business and loved it!
“Dolcetto” means “little sweet one”, but it is most often a drier wine. This black grape which originated in the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy, but which is grown in small quantities in California produces deeply-pigmented wines, with luscious fruit character, natural acidity, and firm tannins. It is a very pleasant, drinkable wine and a wonderful choice for the new wine enthusiast who wants to start with a more subdued red. Be careful though, some Dolcettos are replete with tannins, which can leave you feeling bitter about the ending (it’s a play on words – tannins create the bitterness in wines).
Common aromas and flavors you may find with this wine are plum, prune with slight hints of cherry. Dolcetto is wonderful with pastas, pizza, prosciutto, and bleu cheese.
When you take a sip of this wine, envision yourself in the mountains of Italy, gathered with family and friends, enjoying life’s simple pleasures and the beauty of life.
Syrah’s origin is likely the Rhône Valley in France, and is today widely grown in many premium wine regions including one of my favorites, California. Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, Syrah more commonly referred to in America and Europe, and Shiraz in Australia and South Africa. 
