Summer is a
great time of year to think about Italian cuisine. It’s the time of year when many of us plant
and lovingly tend to tomato plants and fresh basil or enjoy a light pasta dish
or caprese salad al fresco. It’s also
the time of year that reminds us of the weather that we all envision Italy to
have – warm, sunny and delightful. Nothing is
more sublime than a beautifully paired Italian meal to evoke feelings of amore
The hero of
this post, however, is not Italian food, but a wonderful Italian style of wine
whose name means “the sweet little one” – the Dolcetto D’Alba.
Dolcetto
d’Alba is one of those unique styles which pairs well with a large number of
dishes. I often think of it as the Italian
equivalent of Beaujolais – that ubiquitously wonderful French wine whose
flavors accompany almost any dish.
Dolcetto is also like Beaujolais in that it can generally be found at
around the same price point and is the perfect selection for a group of people where
the wine expectations may vary. It’s
relatively light, yet flavorful and its slightly tannic and fruity profile
appeals to both wine enthusiasts and newcomers alike. I’ve tested this theory on a few occasions to
great results.
Dolcetto has
another similarity with Beaujolais. Both
wines grow in the shadows of other legendary wine styles and have high
expectations to live up to. In Burgundy,
Beaujolais is over-shadowed by some of the world’s most famous Pinot Noirs
whereas in Italy’s Northwestern Piemonte wine region, Dolcetto is grown by the
same producers who produce Italy’s famous Barolo wines. In both cases, the lesser known varieties are
truly phenomenal wines that belong in every cellar and should never be
overshadowed.
While
Dolcetto shares many characteristics with Beaujolais, it definitely has a
flavor and style all its own. To begin
with, it’s assuredly Italian at heart and does best when paired with pasta or
Italian cheese dishes. It’s incredible
with a well made risotto, has that distinct Italian 'tang' and is almost the perfect red for sitting and sipping
on a patio in the summertime.
The muse for this post was an incredibly delicious Dolcetto D’Alba from Renato Ratti’s Colombe vineyard that I enjoyed over the weekend. From the 2011 vintage (Dolcetto, like Beaujolais is meant to drink young – within 3 to 4 years tops), this wine went perfectly with my rich and well conceived fettuccine dish. This exemplary producer inspired me to write this post and reminded me about the joys of Italy’s “sweet little one”
So try a
well made Renato Ratti Dolcetto d’Alba while summer is still with us. I’m confident that you’ll enjoy every sip.
Ciao! from the Booze Whisperer
