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Dolcetto d'Alba (DOC)

any superb products of the Alba region, ranging from white truffles to meats and sheep's-milk cheese, are known and appreciated throughout Italy. However, the most famous of all are the district's wines, such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Moscato, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto. The latter wine, Dolcetto d'Alba, has made a particularly decisive contribution to the reputation of that community. However, Alba has a long and fascinating history, first under the Romans with the name Pompeia, then in the Middle Ages when it was a rich and flourishing commune and, finally, as an important agriculture center in the fertile and attractive territory of the Langhe. Some decades ago, centers of distribution were established in the district and the grape was soon being shipped as far away as Belgium. Today, the grapes produced by the Dolcetto variety are used only for the production of a special wine with characteristics that vary according to the zone in which the vine is cultivated. Among the various types of Dolcetto, the most representative is clearly that produced in the Alba district. With the passage of time, in fact, the Dolcetto d'Alba has steadily widened its circle of admirers because of its attractive purplish ruby-red color, its characteristic odor and that aftertaste of bitter almonds that is one of its most prominent features. In that regard, it is said that Dolcetto d'Alba baroleggia, which means that its darker color and greater alcohol enable it to develop premium qualities through aging of a period of two or three years. During that period, special qualities evolve that make the wine comparable to Barolo and Gattinara. Some even prefer it because it is lighter and more subtle than the two other wines.

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