Dolcetto

Dolcetto ~ This is a young, fruity (for a dry red) and delicate wine with a hint of black cherry and licorice flavors on your tongue with a characteristically bitter finish reminiscent of almonds. While the name implies sweetness, the wines are normally dry. Dolcetto (means "little sweet one" in Italian) is grown in the maritime alps of northwest Italy and has been successfully transplanted in the soil of Cape May and we just love having it grow right here at our vineyard!

Our Dolcetto did win a medal at the 2009 NJ Governors Cup and we intend on Submitting this vintage to 2011 International's

History
One theory suggests that the grape originated in 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. 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 authorization 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.

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.

Food Pairing
Overall, Dolcetto is considered a light easy drinking red wine that pairs well with lite Italian & French dishes