Dolcetto d`Alba D.O.C. 2018

Giuseppe Altare's grandfather arrived in La Maura in 1948. The Altare family comes from the town of Dolani, and the farm was acquired in La More only in the last century. Then they owned only five hectares, on which the vineyards of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto grew, as well as peaches, apple trees and hazel trees. These were the times when fruit orchards were more profitable than vineyards. Life was not easy - the post-war economic crisis lasted for many years. Elio Altare and his friends decided to venture outside of Piedmont to learn more about the art of winemaking and gain experience in the best wine regions. The first trip to Burgundy in January 1976 was a real discovery, and when he returned home, Elio realized that change was essential. He was not afraid of this: Elio took up the chainsaw like a knight's sword. First, he cut down fruit trees, and then chopped up large wine barrels in the cellar for firewood. So he made room for his first new French-style wooden barrel - the barrique. Elio's father, Giovanni, did not understand him. The son's radical methods were too different from his way of thinking. Giovanni, being a representative of a generation that survived the hungry years, could not come to terms with the decisions of his son - he considered his actions a crime against reason and the Italian traditions of winemaking. The disagreement was so serious that Giovanni and Elio stopped talking. Giovanni died in 1985, deleting Elio from his will. Despite this, Elio continued to work and over time bought the family winery and vineyards from his brothers and sisters. Elio remained adamant back then, and he still is today. He was determined to change the direction of the development of the winery and create a family wine with a new character, giving preference to elegance, sophistication and balance of taste. Elio achieved this by observing a strict regime in his vineyards, as well as by introducing new techniques of vinification and aging in the wine cellar. The family still owns and operates the farm. Elio cultivates 10 hectares of vineyards and produces approximately 70,000 bottles of wine. Since 2003, the elder daughter Sylvia has helped his father, and the younger daughter has moved to Germany, where she runs a wine importing company.

Dolcetto gives soft-styled, fruity wines with colors varying from purple to deep ruby, with intense aromas of licorice, blueberry, cherry, raspberry and floral nuances. Palate is dry, medium-bodied, with low acidity and slight bitterness in the aftertaste. Ready for consumption at a young age.

Dolcetto is a name shared by both the appellation and the grape. Wines made for the Dolcetto variety at its best can even be compared to the noble Nebbiolo. Dolcetto grapes are easy to disposition, mature faster, are less acidic and very fruity. Wines can be drunk young without waiting for a special occasion. Italians are happy to open this bottle of wine at dinner because it goes well with any food and gives the drinkers an easy cheerful mood.

Translated from Italian Piemonte means ''the foot of the mountain" which is evident by the location of the region - it rests near the Alps which protect the region from cold winds. Nebbiolo is the king of grapes here - this exceptional variety is ideal for the production of wines with a high potential for aging like, for example, the world-famous fruity and balanced Barolo and Barbaresco.