127. Dolcetto Grape Guide - A WSET Level 3 Lesson on Early Ripening Grapes and Low Extraction Red Wine Making

Episode 127: Dolcetto Grape Guide - A WSET Level 3 Lesson on Early Ripening Grapes and Low Extraction Red Wine Making Host: Joanne Close Episode Length: 11:50 Release Date: September 3, 2026 Free Level 3 Prep Lesson Get a free preview lesson from the Level 3 prep membership, including the video recording, twenty multiple choice questions, learning checks, and answer sheets.  Option 1: Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://joanne-close.mykajabi.com/level-3-prep-preview-course-sign-up-page Option 2: Go to WineEducate.com, click Study Tools, then select Level 3 Wine. Join the Wine Educate Newsletter Get wine tips, episode updates, and exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe at https://mailchi.mp/6648859973ba/newsletter Episode Description This week Joanne wraps up the trio of red Piedmont grapes with Dolcetto, the earlier ripening cousin to Nebbiolo and Barbera. Dolcetto barely gets a mention in the WSET Level 2 curriculum, but it opens the door to a meaty Level 3 lesson on grape ripening and vinification technique, which is exactly what Joanne digs into here. She explains why Dolcetto's early ripening makes it such a useful piece of the Piedmont puzzle, from vineyard site selection to harvest logistics to cash flow for producers. Along the way she covers where Dolcetto is grown, what it tastes like, how winemakers manage its medium acidity and medium to high tannin, and why it is made for early drinking rather than long cellaring. Joanne also shares an update on her Level 3 prep membership, including a newly released Chardonnay module, and a scheduling change for the podcast and newsletter going forward. What You'll Learn in This Episode Where Dolcetto Comes From Primarily grown in Piedmont, northwestern Italy, in the provinces of Cuneo, Alessandria, and Asti Earliest documented reference dates back to 1595 Lost ground to Barbera after phylloxera as growers replanted Also found as Ormeasco in Liguria, with small plantings in California, Washington, Oregon, Australia, and New Zealand Why Ripening Order Matters Nebbiolo ripens latest and needs the warmest, best exposed south-facing sites Barbera ripens just ahead of Nebbiolo Dolcetto ripens earliest, up to four weeks before Nebbiolo This flexibility means Dolcetto is often planted on cooler, less favorably exposed sites, not because it likes poor conditions, but because it can still ripen successfully there Vineyard and Winery Logistics Earlier ripening spreads out the harvest workload for picking crews and equipment Dolcetto can be vinified and moved through the winery before later ripening grapes arrive Faster turnaround means less capital tied up in barrels and tanks compared to long-matured Nebbiolo wines like Barolo and Barbaresco Earlier release dates support quicker revenue for producers Tasting Profile Deep, often purple color from high anthocyanin content in the skins Medium acidity, lower relative to Nebbiolo and Barbera but not technically low Medium to high tannin Aromas and flavors of black plum, red cherry, and dried herbs, with additional notes of licorice, almond, and fragrant dark fruit mentioned beyond the WSET text Winemaking Techniques Because Dolcetto pairs medium acidity with medium to high tannin, producers manage extraction carefully Techniques include shorter maceration, gentler extraction, fewer punch downs or pump overs, and earlier pressing The goal is a fresh, fruity, immediately drinkable style rather than one built for extended cellar aging Key Appellations Dolcetto d'Alba, the most widely encountered and often the source of the finest examples Dogliani DOCG, where Dolcetto is treated as a more serious wine rather than an inexpensive early drinker A Note on Ageability Better examples can age five to six years in bottle, but most Dolcetto is not meant for long aging Joanne makes the point that ageability and enjoyability are not the same thing Episode Highlight