The village of Dogliani is, for me, the mother church of Dolcetto. The soil and climate of Dogliani seem perfectly matched to the Dolcetto grape, and as a result, growers in the region plant Dolcetto in their best vineyard sites. Rooted in calcareous soil on precariously steep hillsides, this is where Dolcetto fully hits its stride. Many of Anna Maria Abbona's Dolcetto vines were planted by her grandfather, Angelo in the 1930's. In 1989, when Anna Maria and husband, Franco Schellino, moved back to her family's vineyard in Dogliani, they spent years learning how to farm their ancient vines, taught by Anna Maria's father and grandfather. Together, the generations passed down their accumulated knowledge to Anna Maria and Franco, who in turn are passing it along to their children.

Anna Maria's Langhe Dolcetto is jet-black to the brim, with a killer nose of blackberries dusted with exotic spices. The wine is wonderfully fruity, like a bowl of berries in a glass. The length and structure are classic Dogliani: mineral, stony and super long. Drink this wine with braised meats, anything off the grill, and pizza all day. In fact, you an enjoy this Dolcetto with just about anything.