Renzo Castella's Dolcetto takes this often-humble Piedmont grape to new heights. Sommeliers worldwide are noticing, not only because the wine is delicious and food-friendly, but also because it's such an incredible value.
Castella's vineyard sits between the famed Nebbiolo and Barolo zone of Serralunga d'Alba and Diano d'Alba, one of just seven villages to be granted DOCG status for Dolcetto. I think it's more than fair to casually refer to this as "Grand Cru" Dolcetto. Regardless of labels, this is as good as the grape gets, and at less than $20/bottle, it's a serious value.
2020 Renzo Castella Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba | On Sale Through 5/14/22
Dazzling Dolcetto from one of the grape's top growing zones. - 93 points - Josh Spurling
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Being a wine merchant that focuses on impeccable, low-production wines from small growers and producers can be hard. The hardest part of my job involves the realistic scarcity of many of the wines I champion. Translated, many of the wines we feature at Table Wine are not available in large quantities, and Renzo Castella's Dolcetto is a prime example.
Trust me, this wine is worth every penny of $19.99. I'd honestly be happy to pay $25 to $30 for this one, but in my constant quest to bring you artisanal wines at affordable prices (TW's tagline since 2010), here we stand with an absolute gem of a wine. Renzo Castella's wines are fairly new to the US, but they are quickly being hyped (for good reason) by the sommelier community.
Whereas many Dolcettos that make it to the US are surely pleasant and quaffable, Renzo's version is grander, more complete, and more complex. It walks a very fine line between the simple fruit-driven styles and the bigger, oaked, blockbuster versions.
It just has that mysterious and captivating quality that all great wines have. Fermented in tank, this offers up friendly aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and violet leading into an energetic and sappy palate of zesty red fruits, sage, tomato leaf, and dried herb. Full yet softly tannic, it is a wonderful red for warm weather sipping and food-pairing.
Ideal for a weeknight meal of pasta with red sauce or pizza, it is also a casual and delicious wine to serve with a slight chill while you are watching the sun go down. There are just 84 bottles up for grabs, and that is it for the vintage. Cheers!
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Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville