The fine wines of the Langhe > Dolcetto wine

Dogliani, a town in the province of Cuneo, which is famous for its wine traditions, has ancient founders: the most illustrious one is Luigi Einaudi, which was the first President of the Italian Republic; he, being a good Piedmontese, found the time to follow the activity of his wine company, which was located in Dogliani. The name of this town derives from “Doglia” and “Lano”, which is the mispronunciation of “Janus” from “Giano”, which is a Roman god, king of the sky and of the sun. Later, Giano became the protector of the beginning and end of everything. According to the legend, Giano came to Langhe and stopped by Dogliani, because of its good wine. Dolcetto wine from Dogliani for long has been present on mortal tables. Marquises of Saluzzo gave Dogliani people the freedom for their goods and the exemption from taxes and conscription in 1369, at the condition that they filled the noble cellars with Dolcetto wine. Dogliani Dolcetto wine is mentioned for the first time, in a document titled “Vineyard orders”, in 1593, and this confirms officially that before the end of 1500, Dolcetto grapes were produced in Dogliani. The area of production is the narrow hilly province of Cuneo territory, which is the municipalities of: Dogliani, Bastia, Belvedere, Langhe, Clavesana, Cigliè, Farigliano, Monchiero, Rocca di Cigliè, and partly Roddino and Somano. Hilly attitude vineyards, whose ground is mainly clayey-calcareous or calcareous-siliceous, are the only suitable ones. Floor valley vineyards are excluded from DOC; there are 386 Dolcetto wine producers, and 646,18 hectares of vineyards, which give a maximum of 36.186 hl, and an average of 12.838 hl. The only vine allowed is Dolcetto; its minimum alcoholic content is 11,5%; its colour is ruby red, tending to violet; its smell is winy, pleasant, characteristic; its taste is dry, moderately acid, bitter, delicate, pleasant, harmonic; no ageing is considered; if the product has an alcoholic content of 12,5% or higher, and a one year ageing, it can be qualified as “Superior”; its ideal matchings are white or red stewed meat, stew, poultry and noble poultry.