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2020 Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba “Sörì Cristina”

Il Palazzotto
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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


Technical Information
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%

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About The Region

Piedmont

map of 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.

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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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