2011 Dolianum Dogliani San Mate

Well, here's another Italian wine the I bought from Wines Till Sold Out a while back, the 2011 Dolianum Dogliani San Mate, a dolcetto based wine from Piedmont.  The San Mate designation originates from a document found in the Dogliani City archives from the late 16th century which specifies that grapes from this vineyard cannot be picked before San Matteo's Day, which is September 21.

Well now that we've dispensed with the trivia, let's get to the wine!  The wine has a lovely deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose is very interesting, with some sweet notes of plum and blackberry and some earthy, meaty aromas as well as a subtle floral undertone.  The taste is very nice, a rush of cherry cola and black plum transitions nicely to some tea leaves and black pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is very smooth and very dry, but the tannins are quite subdued, making this one a pleasure to sip all afternoon.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's very easy drinking and a solid value at just $13.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple midweek dinner of butternut squash ravioli with a creamy mushroom alfredo sauce, but this wine would pair well with a nice steak, hearty Italian pasta dishes, or a simple pizza.  Cheers!