Ascheri Dolcetto d'Alba 2007

Pretty decent Italian red here.  Dolcetto is something I've covered before,  but this is a more upmarket version, or at least the price would have you think so.

It came across initially as a somewhat serious wine, with a deep, concentrated cherry fruit nose and good depth of flavour.  However I found its effect diminished somewhat over the course of the meal, and by then end seemed more like a cheerful pizza wine, although one of good quality.

I think it's overpriced at £10.99.  £7 or £8 would seem more reasonable to me. This is something you see often at Oddbins - they can't really compete with places such as Waitrose for value.  Hopefully with the new ownership we'll start to see some more exciting things happening.

Ascheri

Dolcetto d'Alba 2007

Dolcetto DOC, Piedmont, Italy

Oddbins

£10.99

3/5

Via Collina Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba 2007

Dolcetto is a red grape planted widely in Piedmont, Italy. It seems to be last in the pecking order, behind Barbera and Nebbiolo (of Barolo and Barbaresco fame) , and its wine is perceived as an early drinking pizza and pasta wine.

You don't see too much of this wine in the UK, and being of a huge fan of other Piedmontese reds, I was keen to try it.

I can't say I was overly keen on it. It has a nice, perfumed nose and is fairly light bodied, not much to it in fact. It went OK with whatever we were eating, which was something with tomato sauce. It was OK, but you can find decent Barbera at this price as well, and going on this example (which may be unfair), I'd prefer that.

Via Collina
Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba 2007
Piedmont, Italy
Waitrose
£5.49 (£6.99)
3/5