Dolcetto is such an underrated varietal; have known a few knowledgeable wine snobs who ignore or dislike it, and I just don’t get it–the low acidity and approachable simplicity might lack “seriousness” (whatever the hell that even means), but who cares? It’s a wine that makes food come alive.
What is a Rustic Wine?
The first word that popped into my mind when sampling this Dolcetto is “rustic”, which is a fairly common wine descriptor. What does it mean?
Many people seem to mean wine that is simple and unsophisticated. But there are lots of simple, unsophisticated wines on the bottom shelf of the supermarket that are not rustic, so “simple and unsophisticated” doesn’t really get to the heart of what
“rustic” means. The word “rustic” in any context means having qualities ascribed to country life. People growing up in the country are alleged to be sturdy, unpolished, and a little rough. These are terms that better describe “rustic wine” and they more clearly distinguish rustic wines from inexpensive supermarket wines, which lack the structure to be sturdy and are anything but rough since they are smooth and designed for easy drinking.
“Sturdy, unpolished and little rough” well describes this…
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