Dolcetto is one of Piemonte's benchmark varietals, yet few are aware of the range this grape is capable of. Presenting two exceptional farmers of Dolcetto in the Monforte d'Alba commune of Barolo. For the 'New', Ferdinando Principiano's soulful version with its compact and layered fruit, sweet spice and vibrant finish. For the 'Old', a unicorn wine from one of Barolo's quiet forces, Flavio Roddolo. His 2017 is integrated and mature while still retaining its bright acidity.
Stainless steel Dolcetto is wonderful thing. Packed with blue and black fruit, Dolcetto fills the palate without ever feeling heavy, making it a great pairing for simple pasta and BBQ. Ferdinando Principiano is a gem in Barolo. From his vines in Monforte d’Alba, he crafts refined and nuanced wines with gentle and complex fruit. Few producers create such wines, an approach adopted after years of getting sick from his dad’s use of pesticides. I visited years ago and his winery is a mecca of biodiversity, featuring reclaimed woodlands, indigenous flowers and waterfowl, it was a masterclass in vineyard management.
Flavio Roddolo 2017 Dolcetto d’Alba
Aged Dolcetto is an elusive find. In the patient hands of Flavio Roddolo, we gain a glimpse of how Dolcetto’s vibrant fruit and chalky tannins aged over time. Showing the traits of a warm vintage, his 2017 is packed with dark cherries and savory spices, interwoven with earth, game and dried violets... just a lot going on here, but it drinks easy and has lost none of its vibrancy. Flavio farms a few hectar of vines organically with biodynamic influences, at the highest altitudes of the Monforte d’Alba in Barolo. He ferments naturally and ages in large neutral casks for several years.
