Wine of the Week

Dolcetto is one of the lesser-known wines from the Piedmont. Barbaresco and Barolo may get all the attention, but it’s Dolcetto that winemakers open to accompany a dish of pasta or a rabbit stew. Supple and round, without the punishing tannins of the Nebbiolo grape, Dolcetto is a terrific quaffing wine. This example from Icardi and the 1998 vintage is as gutsy and spicy as a Rhone, proving that Dolcetto can be more than the delicious light-hearted wine of everyday meals. For those who consider Dolcetto Italy’s Beaujolais, think again. Or rather, taste this Dolcetto.

About $15. Available at Woodland Hills Wine Company, (818) 368-7330; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454; Hi-Time Wine Cellar in Costa Mesa, (714) 650-8463; and Malibu Wine & Cheese, (310) 456-2924. If you can’t find this wine, have your local wine store call the importer, Vinifera Imports, (805) 546-1900.