Dolcetto Pairing

August 29, 11:01 AMSF Wine Pairing ExaminerDanielle Cunningham

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the SF Wine Pairing Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

When preparing fish, the standard choice for a pairing is a white wine; a Sauvignon Blanc to pair with the fresh and pure taste of simply grilled fish or a Chardonnay to match flaky textures and/or sweet seafood. However, break with traditional whites and try the Dolcetto grape. Meaning “little sweet one” in Italian, the Dolcetto grape is the everyday wine of Northern Italy. Due to the thin skin, Dolcetto grapes deliver fruit forward flavors of blackberry and plums.

Although this is a preferred wine for marinara dishes or mushroom based dishes, marry Dolcetto with salmon. Salmon’s rich and silk-like texture compliments this typically off dry tannic wine. Due to the fruit forward notes, prepare salmon with fresh herbs and whole-grain mustard.

Dolcetto wines, specifically produced in California, are meant to be enjoyed young. Ripening early in the season, it takes the same approach in the cellar: one to two years maximum, enjoying the fruit before it fades.

Recommendation: Eckert Estates 2009 Dolcetto