Sorelle de Nicola, Dolcetto d'Alba Superiore Feyles 2022 - 75cl

Dolcetto is the wine the Langhe pours for itself while its Nebbiolo sleeps in cask: deep-coloured, low in acid, soft and juicy, made to be enjoyed rather than agonised over. This bottling comes from Sorelle de Nicola under the Feyles name, a small family estate run for decades by Antonio de Nicola, with fruit from a high, south-west-facing plot in Monforte d'Alba, right on the edge of the Barolo zone. The 'Superiore' on the label signals a touch more ripeness and a little ageing before release, lifting it a notch above the everyday Dolcetto you might find in a village trattoria.

In the glass it is a dense ruby shot through with purple. The nose leads with dark cherry and blackberry, violet, and a savoury hint of damp forest floor, with liquorice and the faint bitter-almond note that is Dolcetto's calling card. Around a year in tank followed by a short spell in Slovenian oak rounds the edges without trampling the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, plummy and persistent, closing on that characteristic almond twist.

This is not a bottle for the cellar and it does not want decanting; its charm lies in its immediacy. Where Nebbiolo demands patience, Dolcetto asks only that you pull the cork. Drink it over the next couple of years, lightly chilled if the weather is warm, and treat it as the versatile everyday red it was born to be. It is the sort of wine that disappears from the table faster than you expect, and costs little enough that you will not mind.

How to Serve

Serve at around 16C, or lightly chilled in warm weather. No need to decant - this one is all about fresh, youthful fruit.

Where to Drink It

• Padella, Borough - exactly the easy, unfussy setting Dolcetto thrives in.
• Bocca di Lupo, Soho - a plate of salumi and a glass of this is a fine start.
• Trullo, Islington - simple, generous cooking to match a generous red.

Food Pairings

Salumi, a margherita pizza, or pasta with tomato and sausage.