Forte Masso Dolcetto D'Alba

Forte Masso Dolcetto D'Alba is sold under the name of a style that usually means a dry, medium-bodied red made from the Dolcetto grape. The "d'Alba" designation traditionally refers to the area around Alba in Piedmont, Italy. The store's listing for this bottle gives other geographic details, so treat the label itself as the authority on where and how it was made. The tasting notes below describe what the style typically delivers, not a measured profile of this bottle. Expect a deep purple-ruby colour and a nose of dark cherry, plum and blackberry, often with hints of licorice, almond skin or dried herbs. Dolcetto is known for soft acidity and noticeably grippy but fine tannins, so it feels a little more tannic than its modest weight suggests. The name means "little sweet one", but the wine is dry. The sweetness refers to the ripe fruit character, not residual sugar. Oak is usually restrained or absent in this style, so the fruit and a slightly bitter-almond finish tend to lead. At the table, this style suits food with some fat and salt. Good matches are cured meats such as salami and prosciutto, mushroom or sausage pasta, pizza with tomato and cheese, roast chicken, grilled sausages, and aged hard cheeses. The lower acidity means it handles tomato-based dishes better than many low-acid reds, but it can feel flat next to very sharp or spicy sauces. Serve it slightly cool, around 15 to 17°C (60 to 63°F), which is about 20 minutes in the refrigerator before opening. It rarely needs decanting, though a short splash into a decanter or 15 to 20 minutes in the glass can soften the tannins if the wine feels tight. A standard red wine glass with a medium bowl is ideal. Most Dolcetto is made to be drunk young, within a few years of release, so this is a bottle to open now instead of cellaring.