Debut of DOGLIANI DOCG! BRAVO!
Where Dolcetto is King

2006 is the premier vintage of a new DOCG in Piedmont: the Dogliani docg accords the Dolcetto from Dogliani with the distinction of being the highest expression of the dolcetto grape. The Dogliani docg, in the works for several years, is a great achievement for the extremely talented and committed vigneron/artisans who have dedicated themselves to their appellation, their vineyards, and their varietal, dolcetto.

Dogliani is devoted to Dolcetto
Other appellations in Piedmont, such as Barolo and Barbaresco, plant the faster-ripening dolcetto in lesser vineyards where the noble nebbiolo grape would not thrive. In Alba, Dolcetto is made as an easy-drinking quaffer for everyday. In Dogliani, dolcetto is not a sideshow, but the main event. Grown in the best vineyards, lavished with all the vintner’s attention and care, Dogliani dolcetto has ambition, heart, and age-worthiness. The wine Dogliani has a richer, more complex character with chewy tannins reminiscent of Sagrantino from Umbria, or cabernet sauvignon. Luscious berry fruit, silky, powdery tannins, and bitter almond finish are characteristic, as is a noble piemontese austerity in their youth.

Winemakers Anna Maria Abbona, Nicoletta Bocca, and Orlando Pecchenino have been at the forefront of the movement to create this distinction for Dogliani and to emerge from the shadow of more famous neighbors, such as Monforte d’Alba in Barolo. Theirs is the classic underdog story, and for me it has been a great pleasure to work with these producers to promote Dogliani Dolcetto and increase the appreciation of these wines. Not made simply to be appealing, but to achieve the highest expression of these grapes in this particular place. BRAVO DOGLIANI! BRAVO!

Featured 2006 Dogliani –ANNA MARIA ABBONA
Anna Maria and her husband gave up their careers to return to the family vineyards in 1989. It didn’t seem like a smart move, since the vineyards were far from prestigious or of easy viticulture. Dolcetto has always thrived in this area, and they have maximized its potential over the last two decades. Anna Maria works her eight hectares entirely by hand with a minimum of chemical intervention. This, along with tremendously low yields, produces wines with firmness and aromatic intensity that retain a supple feel in the mouth.

2006 ANNA MARIA ABBONA Maioli Dogliani DOCG $25
Made from 100% dolcetto. Deep garnet purple leading to a violet rim. Violets with black cherry fruit in the nose along with balsamic and mineral notes. Big, ripe berry fruit in the mouth with a pleasing tartness. Multi-dimensional texture, big youthful tannins, bitter almond finish. “A rather suave dolcetto with a nicely restrained sweetness.” –IWC

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