Sometimes you just want a pretty good wine that goes well with food. When you’re eating something other than a big piece of meat that usually also means a wine with some decent acid and lower tannins. This Dolcetto fits the bill. It’s also very reasonably priced. While it’s certainly not my favorite wine, it is worth considering at the price point. Dolcetto is generally going to be a softer wine than a Barbera, or certainly a younger Nebbiolo. I’m not sure I would consider this one in that category. Anyway, here it is:
Wine: 2012 Casata Monticello Dolcetto D’Asti
Winery Location: Piedmont, Italy
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: February 2014
Tasting Notes: – we opened this to go with some meatballs in red sauce and I must say I thought that paired very well. The wine is a medium toward deep ruby red with more pinkish tones at the rim. There are lots of berries on the nose. The berries hit the palate as well, along with a pretty good acid ridge running through the wine. On opening there’s a bit of an acetic acid smell, but that blew off fairly quickly. I found it to be a good, medium bodied red to enjoy with food. At 13% alcohol it’s on the lighter side, but will stand up well to pasta and red sauce. While it wasn’t Cheri’s favorite, I quite liked just sipping it the next day. It’s not going to assault you with heavy tannins and some huge glycerin laden mouth feel, nor with layers of complex flavors. It’s pretty good, and sometimes that’s enough.
Price Point – $8.99
Would We Buy It? – yes, but I’m not really worried about it either way. If I’m at the same store again I might pick up a few bottles. I don’t think I’d make a special trip for it, and that really sums it up best. It’s pretty good. It’s $9. Ho hum?
A votre sante!
Leave a Reply