Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
minimum temperature values can cause dis-
section of the spine. While it usually ripens
earlier than other Piedmontese varieties (up to
three weeks earlier than Barbera and four ear-
lier than Nebbiolo), something that ought to
endear it to farmers, given Piedmont's notori-
ously fi ckle and cold autumn weather, pro-
longed cold snaps cause a physiological block-
age that Dolcetto recovers from with diffi culty.
Excessive humidity is a major no-no, as Dol-
cetto rots easily. Another characteristic of the
grape is that the berries cling very loosely to the
vine; you'll fi nd it takes practically no effort to
nab a few grapes and eat them during your next
vineyard walk. In fact, it tends to drop its ber-
ries when ripe, another problem. All this is true
even for massal selections, so the grapevine's
problems do not result from poor clonal selec-
tions. The fully ripe berries really are sweet,
just as you'd expect given Dolcetto's name, but
ironically, I fi nd they're less sweet than those of
Barbera, and certainly less sweet than those of
the red-berried
Malvasia
s of Piedmont. Dol-
cetto has been crossed with Chatus to give the
Passau, San Martino, and Valentino Nero labo-
ratory crossings, all of which are only rarely, if
ever, used to make wine in Italy.
Dolcetto del Peduncolo Rosso is a very spe-
cifi c biotype of Dolcetto that I will address sep-
arately from the rest of the Dolcetto discussion
in an effort to avoid confusion. This is because,
while not yet proven to be a distinct variety
(preferentially called Nibiò by those who pro-
duce it), it looks, behaves, and produces wines
that are suffi ciently different from those made
with regular Dolcetto that a separate analysis is
warranted. Over the years, I have found that the
chances are good not much is known about a
grape when people cannot even agree on how to
spell its name: such is the fate of Dolcetto del
Peduncolo Rosso or Nibiò or Nibiö or Nibieu,
depending on whom you ask. And I'm probably
forgetting a few more possible permutations.
Though most agree it is an ancient biotype of
Dolcetto, the genetic studies that would con-
fi rm that are currently under way; for now,
researchers at the Regione Piemonte have told
me Nibiò is a biotype of Dolcetto. What is sure
is that it's not a Nebbiolo, though that is how
nibiò
in Piedmontese dialect might translate in
Italian. Apparently, Nibiò is the variety histori-
cally used to make the red wines of Tassarolo
and Gavi in Piedmont, and has been docu-
mented in those areas for at least one thousand
years—given that it was so highly renowned,
locals honored it with the Nebbiolo moniker
.
Nibiò is characterized by very small bunches
and berries, and a red stalk, all of which distin-
guish it from Dolcetto and explain its other
name, Dolcetto del Peduncolo Rosso. It seems
to perform best on calcareous-clay soils (many
varieties do) and gives a smoothly tannic wine
(not something Dolcetto is known for) that is
rich in red-fruit notes and spices (bay leaf, mar-
joram, nutmeg). However, it apparently doesn't
always ripen fully in Piedmont's cold autumns.
Dolcetto is mainly found in Piedmont and
Liguria, though it grows in small amounts in
many other Italian regions, including Lom-
bardy and Sardinia. Dolcetto has been planted
outside Italy too, for example in California,
Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, Australia, and
New Zealand. It seems to me like the latter
country's cooler microclimate ought to be ideal
for a perfumed variety such as Dolcetto, but to
my surprise I have found the variety does very
well in slightly warmer New World microcli-
mates too (the key is large day-night tempera-
ture differentials).
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Dolcetto does best on calcareous-clay and
sandy-calcareous soils. In Piedmont, there are
eleven DOC wines made and they can differ
considerably: the best known are Dolcetto
d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Ovada, Dolcetto di Dogliani,
Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba, Dolcetto delle Langhe
Monregalesi, Dolcetto di Acqui, and Dolcetto
d'Asti. The Dolcetto d'Alba is the fullest bodied,
while the Dolcetto di Dogliani is fl oral and
fresher, and more perfumed. It can also be the
most powerful. This is because in the Dogliani
area Dolcetto has always been viewed as the
most important grape and the best sites have
