Dolcetto in Australia

摘要

First mentioned in print as 'Dosset' in 1799, Dolcetto, Italian for 'little sweet one', is not usually known for the sweetness of its wine, but 'rather for its balance between sugars, acids and polyphenols', as Nicolas Belfrage points out in Barolo to Valpolicella (London, Faber, 1999). Adelaide Hills viticulturist Geoff Hardy summarises: "Dolcetto is an early ripener, with a distinctive 'nuts and spice' flavour, and is of soft acid and tannin structure for early drinking. It appears to suit cooler climates provided its tendency to overcrop is controlled - it almost always needs fruit thinning".