EP 497 An Italian Wine Tasting Of The Dolcetto

Gary still thinks the Dolcetto wines are some of the best values out there and these little wines from Piedmont bring serious thunder.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Grimaldi Dolcetto D’albaDolcetto d’Alba
2005 Pietro Rinaldi Dolcetto D’albaDolcetto d’Alba
2006 Azelia Dolcetto D’albaDolcetto d’Alba

Links mentioned in todays episode.

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John__J

qotd: Domaine Weinbach Cuvee Theo Riesling was the best, Valdivieso Chardonnay was the worst

Tags: Dolcetto, Italian, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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  • Mark S

    QOTD: Best – 2004 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Worst – Sacred Stone (California Blend). Also had The Other based on recommendation from “The Book” and really liked it (especially at $11/bottle).

  • Mark S

    QOTD: Best – 2004 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Worst – Sacred Stone (California Blend). Also had The Other based on recommendation from “The Book” and really liked it (especially at $11/bottle).

  • Melissa J UCD

    I did not have wine this weekend! I had margaritas instead, sometimes a fresh fruit margarita really hits the spot!!

  • Melissa J UCD

    I did not have wine this weekend! I had margaritas instead, sometimes a fresh fruit margarita really hits the spot!!

  • Logan

    QOTD: Worst was a Los Vascos Cabernet 2006, not bad per se, but didn’t do much for me. Best, presently drinking a Santa Ana Malbec, which I picked up because I hadn’t ever had a 100% Malbec, and I wasn’t expecting much because it’s a cheap supermarket brand, but right from the nose I was pleasantly surprised, and I am finding it to be delicious, especially at the price point! Thanks for always recommending nice new varietals for us newbies to try, Gary.

  • Logan

    QOTD: Worst was a Los Vascos Cabernet 2006, not bad per se, but didn’t do much for me. Best, presently drinking a Santa Ana Malbec, which I picked up because I hadn’t ever had a 100% Malbec, and I wasn’t expecting much because it’s a cheap supermarket brand, but right from the nose I was pleasantly surprised, and I am finding it to be delicious, especially at the price point! Thanks for always recommending nice new varietals for us newbies to try, Gary.

  • Well the best wine, that’s easy: a Vega Sicilia “unico”…
    the worst wine, sad to say this but, an Orvieto that was flat and too high in alcohol for an Italian white for my taste, we had replace it with a sweet chenin blanc by Monte Xanic, quite good.

  • Well the best wine, that’s easy: a Vega Sicilia “unico”…
    the worst wine, sad to say this but, an Orvieto that was flat and too high in alcohol for an Italian white for my taste, we had replace it with a sweet chenin blanc by Monte Xanic, quite good.

  • why is the sound so bad?

    QOTD; worst? 05 yellow tail

  • why is the sound so bad?

    QOTD; worst? 05 yellow tail

  • Jim in Atlanta

    QOTD – Best was a pinot from Paso Robles. Worst was an white blend from Spain (I think it was Garnacha blanco and sauvignon blanc).

  • Jim in Atlanta

    QOTD – Best was a pinot from Paso Robles. Worst was an white blend from Spain (I think it was Garnacha blanco and sauvignon blanc).

  • dougdell

    Good episode. I like Dolcetto because it’s good stuff that’s NOT a California/Aussie fruit bomb, at a great price.

    QOTD – I’m going to go off course a little. Do you hate the cheapo champagne that a lot of places serve for special events? What does that have to do with the 4th of July? Well, I had a wedding reception on the 5th of July, and rather than spring for $100 champagne just so we could get good stuff, we had Prosecco and Moscatto d’Asti, both from Wine Library. One dry, one sweet, both fruity, perfect for summer, and loved by all in attendance. I will confess that I took a few seconds before toasting my bride to give everyone a short class on wine and explain why we didn’t have champagne. Thank you Wine Library!

  • dougdell

    Good episode. I like Dolcetto because it’s good stuff that’s NOT a California/Aussie fruit bomb, at a great price.

    QOTD – I’m going to go off course a little. Do you hate the cheapo champagne that a lot of places serve for special events? What does that have to do with the 4th of July? Well, I had a wedding reception on the 5th of July, and rather than spring for $100 champagne just so we could get good stuff, we had Prosecco and Moscatto d’Asti, both from Wine Library. One dry, one sweet, both fruity, perfect for summer, and loved by all in attendance. I will confess that I took a few seconds before toasting my bride to give everyone a short class on wine and explain why we didn’t have champagne. Thank you Wine Library!

  • Tommy Vernieri

    Thanks for the wristband Gary, just got it in the mail.

    QOTD: We drank beer at our 4th of July party. We supplied the food and our guests supplied the drinks… when I’m manning the grill I think I’d rather have a beer in my hand than a glass of wine anyway.

    We had the Domaine Faurmarie 2004 L’écrit Vin later that weekend, it was solid.

  • Tommy Vernieri

    Thanks for the wristband Gary, just got it in the mail.

    QOTD: We drank beer at our 4th of July party. We supplied the food and our guests supplied the drinks… when I’m manning the grill I think I’d rather have a beer in my hand than a glass of wine anyway.

    We had the Domaine Faurmarie 2004 L’écrit Vin later that weekend, it was solid.

  • Randy C

    QOTD: Best wine was the mission hill reserve merlot 2000.

  • Randy C

    QOTD: Best wine was the mission hill reserve merlot 2000.

  • As far as the mic goes. I am an audio engineer and editor. You most likely need to pad the mic down because Gary has such a strong voice. Also I would blend in part of the original room mic with the lav mic. Mic placement is key. Move the lav down a bit further to make it a little less boxy sounding. Be careful now not to overload the lav mic amp as well as the camera input.
    If you guys need help post mixing I would be more than happy. I have my own studio and do mixes remotely all the time.

  • As far as the mic goes. I am an audio engineer and editor. You most likely need to pad the mic down because Gary has such a strong voice. Also I would blend in part of the original room mic with the lav mic. Mic placement is key. Move the lav down a bit further to make it a little less boxy sounding. Be careful now not to overload the lav mic amp as well as the camera input.
    If you guys need help post mixing I would be more than happy. I have my own studio and do mixes remotely all the time.

  • 36

    no comment

  • 36

    no comment

  • qotd: the only wine i drank over fourth of july weekend was a boxed pinot grigio, i don’t remember the producer. it was alright, nothing exceptional

  • qotd: the only wine i drank over fourth of july weekend was a boxed pinot grigio, i don’t remember the producer. it was alright, nothing exceptional

  • yowens

    Awesome show dude, love shows about wines I known basically nothing about. I feel like I now, without ever having tasted a Dolchetto, have a good sense of what the wine is about. QOTD: tough Q. Best: Bedell Cellars Taste White Worst: Palmer Wines

  • yowens

    Awesome show dude, love shows about wines I known basically nothing about. I feel like I now, without ever having tasted a Dolchetto, have a good sense of what the wine is about. QOTD: tough Q. Best: Bedell Cellars Taste White Worst: Palmer Wines

  • Nice show Gary,
    My impressions of Dolcetto are not all that good but are based on limited sampling. I love Italian wines but the last Dolcetto I had just didn’t impress me. As far as the QOTD, amazingly enough I only had one wine this weekend. This was essentially an all-beer weekend. Buddy of mine retired and a compatriot gave him a keg of home brew as a retirement gift — that was some awesome stuff. Went great with the Cuban style pig they roasted in the back yard and all the different summer salads the wives brought. The one wine I had (which I guess would have to qualify as both the best and worst) was a Prosecco from Italy. Can’t recall the exact label but it went great with all the BBQ leftovers, especially the different salads.

  • Nice show Gary,
    My impressions of Dolcetto are not all that good but are based on limited sampling. I love Italian wines but the last Dolcetto I had just didn’t impress me. As far as the QOTD, amazingly enough I only had one wine this weekend. This was essentially an all-beer weekend. Buddy of mine retired and a compatriot gave him a keg of home brew as a retirement gift — that was some awesome stuff. Went great with the Cuban style pig they roasted in the back yard and all the different summer salads the wives brought. The one wine I had (which I guess would have to qualify as both the best and worst) was a Prosecco from Italy. Can’t recall the exact label but it went great with all the BBQ leftovers, especially the different salads.

  • Dan-o

    Good episode! I am a fan of Dolcetto, but I don’t drink it often.
    QOTD – Great one.
    The Best – 2000 Chateau Fombrauge from St. Emilion (brilliant)
    The Worst – 2006 St Francis Chardonnay (my sister brought it over – ugh!)

  • Dan-o

    Good episode! I am a fan of Dolcetto, but I don’t drink it often.
    QOTD – Great one.
    The Best – 2000 Chateau Fombrauge from St. Emilion (brilliant)
    The Worst – 2006 St Francis Chardonnay (my sister brought it over – ugh!)

  • JayZee

    QOTD: Okay, you’ve forced me to try to remember what the heck I even DID on 4th of July weekend since I am watching this episode two weeks late. Oh, yeah. Well, the best wine was the 2005 Yves Gangloff La Barbarine Cote Rotie. Awesome! The worst was a 2003 Cline Zinfandel – Ugh!

  • JayZee

    QOTD: Okay, you’ve forced me to try to remember what the heck I even DID on 4th of July weekend since I am watching this episode two weeks late. Oh, yeah. Well, the best wine was the 2005 Yves Gangloff La Barbarine Cote Rotie. Awesome! The worst was a 2003 Cline Zinfandel – Ugh!

  • MattUD

    Interesting show. It seems all the posted may pay off, but I would leave a post regardless!

  • MattUD

    Interesting show. It seems all the posted may pay off, but I would leave a post regardless!

  • That new wristband is sweet… Are you still looking for pics?

    QOTD: Worst: 2005 Placido Chianti – Picked it up on a whim to try and have regretted it ever since… A pretty lousy attempt at Chianti.

    Best: 2004 German Riesling (Sorry I don’t have the name right off hand.)

  • That new wristband is sweet… Are you still looking for pics?

    QOTD: Worst: 2005 Placido Chianti – Picked it up on a whim to try and have regretted it ever since… A pretty lousy attempt at Chianti.

    Best: 2004 German Riesling (Sorry I don’t have the name right off hand.)

  • PSPatrick

    Hi Gary

    As far as I am concerned, I am not happy with the new microphone. The show sounds like a radio feature, not bringing the usual thunder!

  • PSPatrick

    Hi Gary

    As far as I am concerned, I am not happy with the new microphone. The show sounds like a radio feature, not bringing the usual thunder!

  • aida coskun

    hi!!really enjoying wine library tv, from norway.learnig and having fun…great combination:)just exellent!!!keep up the good work:)

  • aida coskun

    hi!!really enjoying wine library tv, from norway.learnig and having fun…great combination:)just exellent!!!keep up the good work:)

  • Dessert Wine Nerd

    QOTD: Well its not the 4th but the best wine I just had was the Yambula Muscat. Very nice toffee and burnt sugar flavors. Its the only wine Ive had the past few days so no worst wine, thankfully.

  • Dessert Wine Nerd

    QOTD: Well its not the 4th but the best wine I just had was the Yambula Muscat. Very nice toffee and burnt sugar flavors. Its the only wine Ive had the past few days so no worst wine, thankfully.

  • How about some Dolcetto from Dogliani and Ovada?

    Dogliani is more or less the washbasin of the Barolo valley (with all of the soil minerals ending up there) and the Dolcetto grown there is far, far, far superior to Alba. Ovada has a completely different character. Dolcetto from Acqui Terme is lighter, but there are several producers which are absolutely upping the class. (Dogliani, Ovada, Acqui, Alba and Asti are the five DOC dolcetto growing regions — with Dogliani and Ovada moving up to DOCG).

    To do an appropriately representive flight of Dolcetto, you need one from Ovada and you desperately need one from Dogliani (maybe Chionetti Bricolero 06).

    You might also consider St. Ubaldo Dolcetto d’Acqui Superiore (30% oak aged)

    I don’t want to be a wise ass 🙂 but the pronunciation is “dolcetto dalba”, (not dolcetto di-alba), same with d’asti and d’acqui.

    I agree mostly with your summation of the wine. It remains undervalued and of course, undermarketed.

  • How about some Dolcetto from Dogliani and Ovada?

    Dogliani is more or less the washbasin of the Barolo valley (with all of the soil minerals ending up there) and the Dolcetto grown there is far, far, far superior to Alba. Ovada has a completely different character. Dolcetto from Acqui Terme is lighter, but there are several producers which are absolutely upping the class. (Dogliani, Ovada, Acqui, Alba and Asti are the five DOC dolcetto growing regions — with Dogliani and Ovada moving up to DOCG).

    To do an appropriately representive flight of Dolcetto, you need one from Ovada and you desperately need one from Dogliani (maybe Chionetti Bricolero 06).

    You might also consider St. Ubaldo Dolcetto d’Acqui Superiore (30% oak aged)

    I don’t want to be a wise ass 🙂 but the pronunciation is “dolcetto dalba”, (not dolcetto di-alba), same with d’asti and d’acqui.

    I agree mostly with your summation of the wine. It remains undervalued and of course, undermarketed.

  • richardvinifera

    Advantage of the new mic is that we’re not distracted by Coldplay constantly playing in the background (I seem to listen on headphones these days), but now we’re distracted by the distortion!

  • richardvinifera

    Advantage of the new mic is that we’re not distracted by Coldplay constantly playing in the background (I seem to listen on headphones these days), but now we’re distracted by the distortion!

  • A dumb Rhein king

    QOTD: I didn't have too many wines this weekend. I would have to say best was a raspberry infusion dessert wine and the worst was a st croix. the st croix wasn't too bad though.

  • corkscrew

    Have only had a few Dolcetto's, something different but good. QOTD-don't remember what I drank over this past 4th, was all good since I know what I buy is going to be good. Knowledgeable consumer. http://www.winelx.com

  • John__J

    qotd: Domaine Weinbach Cuvee Theo Riesling was the best, Valdivieso Chardonnay was the worst

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