Piedmont, Italy
This is the most serious and impressive Dolcetto we’ve tasted in eons. Diego Conterno and his son Stefano are rising stars in the hallowed Barolo zone of Monforte d’Alba. Trained by Piedmont legend Beppe Colla at Prunotto, Diego aims to employ Piedmont’s traditional methods to capture the purest expressions of his grape varieties on Monforte’s finest terroirs. Conterno’s 2019 Dolcetto conveys the time-honored old-school style of Dolcetto – the kind we love – with a translucent black ruby color in the glass transitioning to deep aromas of black cherries, black plums, licorice, tar, and crushed rose petals. Balancing chewy fruit with refined tannins and savory herbal tones, the wine layers the palate with impressions of black plums, Bing cherry skin, limestone dust, lavender, and tar. Long, serious, and completely delicious, the Dolcetto finishes with reprises of cherry skin, dusty tannins, herbs, and a haunting note of walnut. The wine drinks well now and will reward five to ten years’ patience in your cool cellar. Pair with hearty fare such as beef braises, egg-rich pasta dishes tossed with a butter and sage sauce, burgers, wood-fired pizzas, and eggplant parmigiana – anything that calls for a robust, versatile red.
A December 2020 newsletter selection
