Dolcetto is a grape which is generally harvested early and which can tolerate slightly cooler vineyards, either north-facing or situated at heights where the other grapes have to report. Today, fruity sweetness, aroma and softness are prioritized in Dolcetto, rather than dryness and the slightly greenish character. Ca’ del Baios Docetto comes from a vineyard that was planted in 1961. After a long and cool fermentation in steel tanks, the wine is allowed to mature for a few months in the same type of tank. Here, priority is given to the fruit character.
The wine has a beautiful violet-red color, and the aroma is very immediate and elegant with notes of cherry and raspberry. In the taste, the wine has a good sweetness with a lean, crisp and elegant style. It is a very classic Dolcetto d’Alba, where finesse, straightness and fruit come to the fore more than structure and strength. The older vines, however, provide an incredible complexity and harmony, which is rare for a Dolcetto. Dolcetto Lodoli will be fine for starters, cold cuts and salads as well as for e.g. pasta dishes or risottos with poultry. Served at approx. 16 degrees.
Ca’ del Baio has been owned and run by the Grasso family for 4 generations and since 1880. The family today has a distinguished portfolio of fields near the village of Treiso (7 km. from Alba), as well as in Barbaresco itself. They thus have plots in some of the best fields in the area, including in “Asili”, “Valgrande”, “Marcarini” and “Pora”. Ca’ del Baio has (naturally) primarily planted the fields with Nebbiolo, but they also grow Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato, Chardonnay and… Riesling!
It is still the 3rd generation, in the form of Giulio Grasso, who is responsible for the operation – well helped by his wife Luciana. The two oenologist-educated daughters, Paola and Valentina, as the 4th generation are also part of the business and are continuously handed over an increasingly large part of the responsibility.
Ca’ del Baio has undergone fantastic positive development in recent years and has been able to combine tradition and innovation in the best possible way. Stainless steel tanks, large classic casks of 20-30 hl. (from top producer Gamba) and smaller casks of 500 and 225 l are used in fine harmony. During the fermentation, only the grapes’ natural yeast is used and nothing else is added to the wine than a very limited amount of SO2 (sulphur dioxide), which helps to ensure that the wines develop well during maturation in the bottle.
The wines from Ca’ del Baio have now won a place among the elite in both Italian and international wine guides, and it was thus no coincidence that in 2016 Giulio Grasso was awarded the very prestigious award “Viticoltore dell’anno” (“Winemaker of the Year” ) by the highly respected Italian wine guide “Gambero Rosso”.
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC/DOP (1974, approx. 1,359 ha of vineyards) is located in Piedmont and covers a wide area around the town of Alba, overlapping better known districts such as Langhe, Barbaresco and Barolo. The Dolcetto grape is grown on plots where Barbera and Nebbiolo have difficulty ripening, which are either on north-facing vineyards or at altitudes between 300-600 m.a.s.l. Dolcetto ripens early, but there is a tendency in the area to harvest Dolcetto later than previously, in order to achieve the perfect balance between acid/sugar in the grapes. This results in more aromatic, fruity and harmonious wines – without dryness and green notes.
Legislation requires 100% Dolcetto for a DOC/DOP Dolcetto d’Alba, but no aging in the cellar, except for so-called Superiore wines, where a year of aging is required. Dolcetto wines are usually drunk in their youth, while they are still juicy, sweet, fresh and crisp. Better management of cultivation, harvest time and vinification has meant that today you can find more exciting Dolcetto wines. They may be served a little cooler than usual for red wines.
