Who says Dolcetto should be drunk young? Who says they aren’t capable of improving with age? With Thanksgiving day antipasto of soppresatta, caponata, fresh and smoked mozzarella, parmigiano, olives and crusty bread, the myths were resoundingly debunked.
Admittedly, I’ve often regarded Dolcetto as an early drinker – something you would indulge your lust for Piedmont wine with while Barolo & Barbaresco matured gracefully. Contrarily, I’ve always liked Dolcetto with a year or two of age on them. That sort of time, when the wine is from a great vintage, seems to allow some of that “baby fat” to fall off and really displays what the grape is about.
However, in this case, the wine was a bit older. The 2006 E. Pira Dolcetto d’Alba crafted by the lovely Chiara Boschis was absolutely stunning in its complexity, persistence, and elegance.
In the glass, the wine is a dark purple. Maybe there is a slight violet hue to the rim, but I defy anyone to suspect this is a 6 year old wine. The nose is redolent with lavendar, smoke, jammy crushed blackberries and a trace of mineral. Flavors follow the nose and are focused like laser beams of multi-colored light – a symphony of almost fiber optic harmony. The fruit is so pure; smokey, plummy with a subtle dusty coating of licorice infused tannin to the package. It is, without question, the greatest Dolcetto I’ve ever tasted.
While not a current release, it is available if you search. And it’s well worth the effort. 91 points dare I say for this “simple” wine. About $22. Bravo!
 |
| 2006 E. Pira Dolcetto d’Alba |
November 24, 2012
Leave a comment
1190
