Anna Maria Abbona Dolcetto di Dogliani ‘Sorí Dij But’ 2018

The village of Dogliani is, for many devotees, the mother church of Dolcetto: The soil and climate of Dogliani seem perfectly matched to the Dolcetto grape, and as a result, growers in the region plant Dolcetto in their best vineyard sites. Add to great terroir the devotion of a passionate grower-producer like Anna Maria Abbona and the result is extraordinary wine. “Sorí Dij But” is one of Anna Maria’s single-vineyard Dolcetti – the impressively steep vineyard looks pretty much like the “coat of grapes” emblem on the label. The 2018 is ripe and long on the palate, a great vintage for Anna Maria.

When it comes to pizza wine, few are better than Anna Maria’s dark fruited, juicy Dolcetto from the hills of Dogliani. The 2018 is just flat out delicious. Abbona’s Dolcetto vines were planted by her grandfather in the 1930’s. Rooted in calcareous soil on crazy, steep hillsides, Dogliani is where Dolcetto is at its best.

Anna Maria’s 2018 Dolcetto di Dogliani Sori di But is inky black to to its core, with a wild nose of dark cherry, licorice and baking spices. The fruit is juicy, big on the palate but fresh all the way through the finish. A classic Italian built for pizza, pasta, grilled meat or just by itself. Great house red.