Notify me
2020 Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba “Sörì Cristina”
Il Palazzotto

Paolo Olivero
When wine lovers speak of the great wines of Piedmont, they often refer to Barolo and Barbaresco, but I consider Dolcetto to be among them, too. Although it does not offer the same amount of complexity or ageability as the “King and Queen” of northern Italian wine, it provides unrivaled value, incredible versatility, and more regular enjoyment. In Native Wine Grapes of Italy, Ian d’Agata writes that the country’s second president, Luigi Einaudi, loved the variety so much that he “planted thousands of Dolcetto vines on his Piedmontese estate.”
More recently, it has diminished in surface area in the region. This decrease is likely due both to the rising popularity and market value of Nebbiolo and to the difficulty of growing Dolcetto—its buds are fragile and the grapes grow low to the ground, requiring grueling work from the vigneron.
Neither of those issues has stopped fourth-generation grower Paolo Olivero, who makes Dolcetto from one of the grape’s great crus, Diano d’Alba. With its slightly higher elevation, this region is known for producing Dolcetti that are among the most perfumed and fruit-driven. Paolo’s Sörì Cristina features supple, pretty notes of freshly crushed blackberries and raspberries, and has enough spine to pair perfectly with roast fowl.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Dolcetto |
Appellation: | Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Piedmont |
Producer: | Il Palazzotto |
Winemaker: | Paolo Olivero |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1985, 1.5 ha |
Soil: | Limestone |
Aging: | Wine ages in stainless steel tank until August or September of year following vintage, ages in bottle for 2 to 3 months |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region

2024 Vino Rosato
Italy | Piedmont
Each refreshing sip goes down lighter than air, keeping your palate clean and refreshed for whatever comes next.

2022 Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba “Sörì Santa Lucia”
Italy | Piedmont
Real refreshment, plus a serious side and good concentration from old vines in chalky marl soils.

2023 Vino Rosso
Italy | Piedmont
April Club Gourmand ~ Finding a wine as tasty and versatile at this price is not an easy task.

2022 Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba “Sörì Cristina”
Italy | Piedmont
Supple, pretty notes of freshly crushed blackberries and raspberries—it will pair well with pretty much anything.

Vermouth di Torino Bianco “Aperitiv dla Tradission”
Italy | Piedmont
Let this aromatic Piemontese vermouth spice up your cocktail game, or sip it on the rocks with an orange peel garnish.

2023 Vino Rosso “Il Goccetto”
Italy | Piedmont
The old-school, vino rosso of our dreams—serve it chilled, perhaps in a glass pitcher, for full trattoria effect.

2023 Langhe Nebbiolo
Italy | Piedmont
There’s no mistaking this red for anything other than Nebbiolo—perfectly ripe fruit and the telltale scents of tar and roses.

2024 Vino Bianco
Italy | Piedmont
The unique blend of Favorita, Moscato, Arneis, and Chardonnay is dry but not tart, fruity but not cloying, and held together with a gentle effervescence.

2021 Barolo “Marassio”
Italy | Piedmont
Unusual for La Morra, the soil here is rich in limestone with veins of chalk, giving Giulia’s most dense, profound, earth- and mineral-driven Barolo.

2023 Vino Rosso “Munaloss”
Italy | Piedmont
Delicious younger-vine Prünent blended with Croatina produces an immediately enjoyable, low-tannin red of character.

About The Producer
Il Palazzotto
About The Region
Piedmont
Kermit’s love affair with the great reds of Piemonte dates back to the early days of his career: the very first container he imported from Italy, in fact, featured legendary 1971 and 1974 Barolos from Vietti and Aldo Conterno. Regular visits since then have seen our portfolio grow to now twelve Piemontesi estates, with a strong focus on the rolling hills of the Langhe.
Nebbiolo rules these majestic, vine-covered marl slopes, giving Italy’s most mystifyingly complex, nuanced, and age-worthy reds. When crafted via traditional production methods—long macerations and extensive aging in enormous oak botti—the powerful, yet incredibly refined Barolos and Barbarescos provide haunting aromatics of tar, raspberry, incense, tea, roses, and more. At times austere in their youth but well worth the wait, they pair beautifully with the hearty local cuisine starring veal in many forms, braised beef, pastas like tajarin and agnolotti, and of course, Alba’s famous white truffles.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Piemonte’s climate is continental, with baking hot summers and cold winters. Nebbiolo is only part of the story here: juicy, fruity Barberas and Dolcettos represent the bread and butter throughout the region, and other native grapes like Freisa, Croatina, and the white Arneis are also noteworthy. Value abounds in the Monferrato, while Alto Piemonte also has its share of thrills to provide.
Every corner of Piemonte is rich with tradition, especially when wine is concerned. It’s no wonder we have been singing the region’s praises for over forty years.
More from Piedmont or Italy
2023 Vino Rosso
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2024 Moscato d’Asti “Sorì Gramella”
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2022 Valli Ossolane Nebbiolo Superiore “Prünent Vigna Fornace”
Cantine Garrone Italy | Piedmont
2024 Vino Rosato
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barbaresco “Vicenziana” MAGNUM
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barbaresco “Vicenziana”
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2022 Barbaresco
Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2023 Langhe Arneis
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
Vermouth di Torino Bianco “Aperitiv dla Tradission”
Bèrto Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barolo “Mosconi”
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2024 Vino Bianco
Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2015 Barolo Riserva “Cascina Dardi - Bussia”
A. & G. Fantino Italy | Piedmont
2023 Vino Rosso
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2024 Moscato d’Asti “Sorì Gramella”
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2022 Valli Ossolane Nebbiolo Superiore “Prünent Vigna Fornace”
Cantine Garrone Italy | Piedmont
2024 Vino Rosato
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barbaresco “Vicenziana” MAGNUM
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barbaresco “Vicenziana”
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2022 Barbaresco
Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2023 Langhe Arneis
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
Vermouth di Torino Bianco “Aperitiv dla Tradission”
Bèrto Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barolo “Mosconi”
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2024 Vino Bianco
Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2015 Barolo Riserva “Cascina Dardi - Bussia”
A. & G. Fantino Italy | Piedmont
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312