Grape varieties
Dolcetto and Barbera
Production zone and characteristics
The grapes come from hills across the whole of Piedmont. The geological features of the various areas and the sun exposure of the vineyards chosen allow top quality grapes to be grown. The training systems used range from spurred cordon to Guyot, according to zone. Yields per hectare are approximately 80 hectolitres.
Winemaking
The Dolcetto and Barbera grapes are harvested by hand and then made separately into wine. For both varieties, alcoholic fermentation takes place in controlled temperature stainless steel tanks. The Dolcetto is dry-fermented and left on the skins for 6 to 8 days, depending on vintage, while the Barbera is vinified slowly at low temperatures to obtain a wine packed with aromas and a small amount of residual sugar. Malolactic fermentation takes place immediately after racking off for both wines.
Ageing
A very short wood ageing period for the Dolcetto softens the tannins and stabilises the wine’s colour. After this phase, the new Dolcetto and Barbera wines are blended, creating a good tasting balance between the tannins of the Dolcetto and the acid notes of the Barbera. It is a wine with a touch of the antique, and is best drunk about 5 years after the vintage.
Tasting characteristics
Purplish in colour, on the nose the wine has pronounced black fruit, plum and strawberry jam, violet and mild almond aromas. It is full-bodied in the mouth thanks to the mildly bitter Dolcetto, which balances out the residual sugars of the Barbera and its characteristic acidity.
Food pairings
It is a wine which goes well with all courses, from starters to full flavoured pasta and rice dishes and fairly mild flavoured meat dishes.
Serving temperature
18 °C
Alcohol by volume
12-13% vol. depending on vintage
