From: Dogliani, Piedmont, Italy
Varietal: Dolcetto
Taste: This intense ruby red wine has violet nuances. It is fruity, with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, and red cherries. There are also hints of tobacco and minerality. The wine is full-bodied with soft tannins and good balance.
Pairing: This wine pairs wonderfully with rich, savory meats such as grilled lamb chops or a hearty beef stew, where its blackberry and pepper notes can enhance the meat's flavors. The violet and tobacco hints make it a great match for roasted duck or game meats. For a vegetarian option, consider a mushroom risotto or eggplant Parmesan, where the wine's creamy texture and fresh acidity can balance the mushrooms' earthiness or the cheese's richness. Aged cheeses, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged Gouda, will complement the wine’s depth and complexity, making it a versatile choice for a cheese course.
Mark Bittman’s Eggplant Parmesan
By Mark Bittman
About: The Pecchenino winery has operated since the late 1900s and has a rich history of producing high-quality wines. Though we’re absolutely in love with their Nebbiolo, Pecchenino has, until recently, focused their attention on a much humbler varietal: Dolcetto. Their original winery is based in Dogliani, and the vineyard where their Langhe Vigna Botti resides is also in Dogliani; their one Nebbiolo parcel is in Dolcetto territory.
The Pecchenino family has worked in viticulture for over four generations and leaped small wine production to a winery of international recognition under the brothers Orlando and Attilio Pecchenino. Today, Pecchenino consists of 54 acres in Dogliani and seven in Monforte. Focused on producing high-quality Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and a few other select varietals, Pecchenino’s vines are painstakingly cared for by hand. In addition to its consistently high quality, Pecchenino distinguishes itself by being the only winery to produce Dolcetto aged in oak, resulting in Dolcetto wines with an aging potential of over ten years.
The southern Langhe region, where the Pecchenino winery is located, is known for its hilly terrain, which provides excellent growing conditions for Dolcetto, as the grape is early-ripening, as opposed to the the primary varietal used in this wine, Nebbiolo. This elegant Nebbiolo takes its name from the vineyard where it is produced, Vigna Botti, located in Dogliani, under the appellation Langhe DOC. The name Botti means “barrels” in Italian and refers to the aging of the wine, which takes place in big oak casks of 25 Hl.
