Most Dolcetti from the Langhe are classified DOC wines, and they’re lovely—versatile, fresh, and value-driven. And then there are exceptions from noteworthy crus like Diano d’Alba, a village whose privileged vineyard sites have earned its Dolcetti DOCG status. Such wines are not mere values; they are overachievers. The term sörì, “sunlit plot,” is borrowed from the local dialect and indicates that grapes grown in these sites mature amply and optimally under the bright piemontese sun. Dolcetto flourishes into a plush and velvety vino rosso in these conditions.
             Paolo Olivero, who owns the small Il Palazzotto estate, bottles two different Sörì from Diano d’Alba. The Sörì Cristina, a limestone-laden site, is the most easy-drinking and charming Dolcetto we import, and it could easily command twice its price and still taste like a bargain to me. The Sörì Santa Lucia, from chalky marl, has a bit more structure, firmness, and depth. Both drink well now. Both were bottled unfined and unfiltered.