A popular red wine producing grape native to Piedmont, Italy, known for making wines that are best consumed in their youth. It’s name, Dolcetto or “little sweet one”, is more a reference to its relatively low acidity (compared with the likes of Barbera) rather than due to any residual sugar, as it is generally fermented dry. The grape typically makes wines light in body, due to its low tannin, expressing a fragrant nose of soft, round fruit.
Along with Tuscany, Piedmont is responsible for most of Italy’s greatest wines. Here, Nebbiolo is the king of grapes with the DOCGs of Barolo and Barbaresco supplying a significant amount of the finest examples. Less expensive, but good value Nebbiolos are made within the larger Langhe DOC which Barolo and Barbaresco are both situated in. Barbera and Dolcetto are the region's other important red grapes. Moscato (Muscat) is the most popular white grape, most of which gets used in making Spumante and Frizzante (semi-sparkling) wines, notably those made in and around the town of Asti. Meanwhile, the region's most popular still white wines are made from Cortese and Arneis. Cortese are mostly made in the province of Alessandria and go by the name Gavi, while Arneis is mainly cultivated in Roero, just north west of Alba.
