Lovers of Piedmont 'owe it to themselves to check out the region's Dolcetto and Barbera bottlings', writes Antonio Galloni. Whilst Barolo and Barbaresco are among the best and most famous wines in the world, these two reds – Dolcetto and Barbera – are celebrated by the winemakers and people of Piedmont as their everyday food wines.
Both Dolcetto and Barbera's strength is their drinkability, and the options with food pairings are almost endless. In Wine Enthusiast's recent tasting of Dolcettos and Barberas, 'the best examples were from Alba'. As are these four that we're offering today, from the legendary GD Vajra and Marengo cellars!
Their beloved Dolcetto, which translates to 'little sweet one' because of its lower acidity and fresh and fruity style, makes for superb early drinking. Barbera is normally harvested between the early-maturing Dolcetto and the late-ripening Nebbiolo, and stylistically it lies between the two. It's a juicy, more muscular wine with amazing acidity and earthy undertones. Though appealing young, the best Barberas age gracefully.
'The top Barberas especially, and even the best Dolcettos, are finely-crafted, world-class wines that no longer need to stand in the shadow of the more famous Piedmontese reds.' – Wine Enthusiast
