Dolcetto

The Dolcetto grape makes soft, pleasantly fruity wines that are for early consumption. It is used in the Piedmont region of northern Italy but it's use is diminishing. There are also limited plantings in California and most other key wine producing regions around the world, but most of those plantings are for experimental purposes.

Thoughts of Piedmont usually bring images of big tannic Barolos and Barbarescos, but an oft-forgotten everyday variety of the region is Dolcetto. Roughly translated, Dolcetto means "little sweet one." While not exactly "sweet," the wines made from Dolcetto are definitely light and fruity.

Dolcetto is an early-ripening grape, grown in the Northwest area of Piedmont. It produces wines that are soft and fruity and ready-to-drink when released. The Italians like this wine for everyday drinking because of its soft tannins, ripe fruit, and ability to match with a variety of foods. No cellaring required here and prices are usually quite affordable.