Dolcetto is an early ripening grape indigenous to Piedmont that is planted in the cooler portions of Barolo and Barbaresco estates and, along with Barbera, is the grape used to make easygoing and affordable everyday drinkers. With similar though darker fruited flavors than Nebbiolo, the structure of Dolcetto is entirely different: more bitter, but less tannic and acidic. The Paolo Conterno estate was founded in 1886 and the fourth generation, Giorgio, is training his daughter to become the fifth. Sustainably grown on the same Monforte d’Alba estate as their Baroli, this wine is pressed off the skins before fermentation has finished in order to mitigate the tannins and is aged in the same large casks, called botti, as the Baroli, but for just 6 months to retain its fruitiness. Fine examples of Dolcetto will age well for five years or so, and this wine is in a good stage of its development with black cherry and berry (where Nebbiolo would tend to be red cherry and strawberry), flowers, anis, and forest floor notes are followed by a bitter almond skin finish. The wine is traditionally served with all manner of Piemontese cuisine, including rich, buttery sauced agnoloti pastas to Bagna Caudi vegetables, and meat sauces.