It's been a little while since I took the time to shine the spotlight on a grape for you to be introduced to in your wine-drinking adventures. As always, I try to tie these wines into some of my own experiences, and today will be no different. Let me take you to my early days of trying to figure out Italian wine. One of the first things I did when making the change from the tech sector to the alcohol business was to find opportunities to pour wines at trade shows. If there would ever be opportunities to get the combined practical experiences of wine service and knowledge, working a grand portfolio tasting for an importer or distributor would be the perfect place to do it (if you are thinking of getting into the industry, I recommend you do the same).

So twice a year, I would head to New York City's Marriott Marquis to pour wines for Vias Imports, an outstanding importer of (predominantly) Italian wines. Much of my experience with them would be in northern Italy, where I was hit with an incredible array of long-lived wines, unique local varieties, and some interesting cultural crossover with border countries like Austria, Croatia, and France. Yet there will always be one day that will stick out in my mind when I think of these days working a table for five hours straight: my meeting with winemaker Orlando Pecchenino.

I found out I was assigned to work with Pecchenino mere minutes before the show started. I spent a lot of time researching his wines, along with the wines of fellow Piemontese producer Elvio Cogno. Anytime I can have access to a winemaker of premier products, I am going to make the most of my time learning from him or her. I listened to Pecchenino talk about his vineyards and how they are organized. I learned why he plants one grape variety in a block of vineyards and others elsewhere. I got to understand how he determines ageability of wines made from grapes in specific vineyard blocks. While it was great to nerd out to all of this, the thing that really stood out that afternoon was his passion for a single grape variety: Dolcetto [dole-CHAY-toe].

Dolcetto is a very popular wine in the Piedmont area of Italy. While Nebbiolo gets all the praise and Barbera is the workhorse, Dolcetto is the choice for the local drinking establishments with large plates of antipasti and other casual meals. It makes wines with very deep color with some examples almost looking like blue ink in your glass. Dolcetto might mean "little sweet one," but these wines are not made into a sweet style; they are bold, aromatic, and finish very dry, but are fruity with a slight tannic/bitter edge to them. The most likely appellation you will encounter with Dolcetto wines is "Dolcetto d'Alba," which you will find from many Barolo and Barbaresco producers as the Dolcetto vineyards will overlap these communes. Since Dolcetto grapes can ripen very quickly, a Piedmont wine producer might plant Dolcetto grapes at higher altitude than their Nebbiolo grapes (destined for Barolo, for instance) to slow down ripening and help preserve what little inherent acidity the grape has.

While Alba has some recognition for Dolcetto, other grapes like Barbera and Nebbiolo can thrive there to make quality wines. On the other hand, the nearby small town of Dogliani is exclusively devoted to Dolcetto in Piedmont. Producers in Dogliani might own vineyards outside the area to make Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera-based wines, but the focus is on Dolcetto here. With Dolcetto wines from Alba being fragrant and approachable in youth, Dogliani wines are more powerful and structured, many of which hold incredible aging potential. In fact, at the event with Orlando Pecchenino, he opened a magnum of his entry-level stainless steel-fermented "San Luigi" that was a decade old and I can only explain the flavor as red and black cherries wrapped in leather and Italian herbs. It was incredible. I can only imagine what his oak-aged "Siri d'Jermu" (12 months in large oak barrel) and "Bricco Botti" (2 years in old oak barrel) would taste like after 10 years in bottle.

Dolcetto offers so much for your senses, showing itself in many styles. If you have some cash laying around to spend on wine, I highly encourage you to try Pecchenino's three Dolcetto wines as a flight; it will run you close to $100 for the three wines. But if the budget is tighter, or you can't get access to the whole range, I have three wines for you to try that you should be able to find at your local shop.

G.D. Vajra Dolcetto d'Alba ($15): A perfect intro to the grape, this Dolcetto is loaded with blackberries and smoked meat flavor with just a touch of tannins and pleasant bitter edge on the finish.

Elio Grasso Dolcetto d'Alba dei Grassi ($19): An outstanding Barolo producer, this is a great way to get to know Grasso's powerful styles. Deep purple, almost opaque in the glass, this is very full-bodied with a ripe plum fruit that is similar to New World Merlot's flavor and plushness. However, the herbaceous and peppery notes are the major difference here with noticeable tannins.

Pecchenino Dogliani San Luigi ($22): This has to be in your lineup to get to know Dogliani. Stainless steel fermented, the wine has lively cherry flavors with violet, rose, and smoke. Acidity and tannin are more noticeable compared to the other two wines. Finishes savory, but fresh.