Perception isn’t necessarily reality. To many, Dolcetto – “little sweet one” in Italian – is a light, fruity, quaffable, bright red wine just a rung above rosé and on par with Beaujolais. In realty however, the somewhat disrespected grape of northwestern Italy can make some heady, deeply colored, surprisingly tannic wines with elegant aromas and flavors.

Dolcetto is probably native to the Monferrato area of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Nestled at the base of the Alps, Dolcetto vineyards produced grapes for one of Italy’s most popular “vino da tavola”, or everyday table wines. While overshadowed by its more noble Piedmont cousin Nebbiolo, Dolcetto can produce some full-bodied, earthy wines from specific sub-regions including Dolcetto d’ Alb, Dolcetto d’ Asti, and Dolcetto Dogliani where the grape may have originated in the late 16th century.

Italian emigrants to Mendocino and Sonoma counties first planted Dolcetto in California in the 1880s. Famed Sonoma winery Italian Swiss Colony was making wine from Dolcetto in the 1890s but neither the vineyards nor the production records survived into the 20th century. According to the 2007 California Grape Acreage Report, there are only 103 of Dolcetto vines in the state today.

Small, round Dolcetto grapes grow in small to medium size clusters on vines of comparatively weak vigor. Dolcetto is an early ripening grape and vines do best in areas where growing season days are warm to hot with plenty of sunlight with nights that are cool and damp. Planting on northern and eastern exposures allows the vines to get plenty of summer sun then cool down slowly in the evening.

Thin skinned Dolcetto grapes are notoriously low in natural acidity but retain surprisingly good tannic structure. As a result, Dolcetto is a bright, reddish purple colored, medium bodied wine with pleasant acidity, soft tannins, and exuberant flavors. Dolcetto aromas most often include ripe blackberries, dark plum, spice, violet and coffee. Berry flavors dominate and are backed by hints of vanilla, orange zest, and a touch of toast. Dolcetto is often said to have the fruitiness of Zinfandel and the soft tannins of Merlot.

Dolcetto is not a particularly difficult wine to produce but can offer winemakers some interesting challenges. For one thing, Dolcetto ripens early – as much as two to three weeks before other red varieties. When harvested at 24 to 25 degrees Brix, acidity is still fairly low with pH of 3.58 or more and a TA of .7 grams/liter. It’s the acidity that keeps the wine lively and fresh so winemakers are careful to pick when the grapes have the best balance of sugar and acid.

Another winemaker challenge is Dolcetto’s tendency toward “reduction” – the opposite of oxidation. Some oxygen is needed during wine production, and if it is not available, then hydrogen molecules can combine with the sulfur in the wine to produce hydrogen sulfide. This is the compound that can give a wine a “rotten egg” smell. Winemakers can dispel this nasty aroma by aeration or by micro-oxidation which is simply allowing tiny amounts of oxygen to bubble through the wine during the production process.

Some vintners prefer the whole-cluster approach to making Dolcetto while others do a light crush to just break the skins. Cool fermentation is preferred and can take place in open top containers or stainless steel tanks. The cap (skins and seeds that are driven to the top of the tank by carbon dioxide during fermentation) is usually punched down (submerged in the juice) at least twice daily. Following pressing, Dolcetto can spend from 6 to 18 months in mostly used and often neutral oak barrels.

Perception is that most Dolcetto is wine made to be enjoyed on release. It’s fresh fruitiness and soft, supple character is at its best two to three years after harvest. However, in reality Dolcetto can be a study, gutsy wine that pairs well with all things Italian.