I recently spent four days in Piemonte and had the chance to observe in the 2015 harvest of Dolcetto grapes. Piemonte is known primarily for the Nebbiolo grape that produces Barolo and Barbaresco wines, but I discovered many of the locals enjoy the Dolcetto as their every day wine.

There are two resaons Dolcetto is the "go to" for many in Piemonte: drinkability and price. Dolcetto is a mellow red with ripe red fruits and a moderate spice component. it can be aged a year or two, but is most often considered a "drink now" wine. Prices for Dolcetto in Italy and our Valley are considerably lower than the famed Barolo's of the region. 

You can often find really nice Dolectto in the $15-$20 price range here in the Valley, and they're even less expensive in Piemonte. They go with a wide variety of foods including some of the lighter fare enjoyed in Piemonte and of course, it's a wonderful spaghetti and meatball wine.

I stayed in the heart of Dolcetto country at the Bricco Rosso hotel near the village of Dagliani. The hotel sits high on the top of the hill surrounded on all sides by Dolcetto vineyards. The harvest was in full force when I arrived, and I had the chance to get into the vineyards and observe the grapes being picked and crushed.

Here's a look at three wineries we visited and their Dolcetto:

2013 Prunotto Dolcetto D' Alba DOC

Round and ripe with strawberry fruits and a fresh herbacious quality.

2013 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dogliani DOCG

A little more full bodied with cherry, mixed berries and a moderate spice component

2013 Damilano Dolcetto D' Alba DOC 

Raspberry and blackberry on the front palate, pleasantly dry with a nutty finish

I really enjoyed learning about Dolcetto from the people who grow the grapes and make the wine. It gave me a far greater appreciaition for these wines and helped me understand that Piemonte has way more to offer than just Barolo.

Stay tuned to this blog for more storeis from the Italian portion of the trip. My November print feature will chronicle the amazing day we spent at the Damilano winery.