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WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:34 pm
by Saina
I love Dolcetto. I used to love this wine, but 2001 was the last nice vintage I've had. I guess my tastes have changed? Or has the wine gone through a couple bad vintages (yes!) and changed (???) meanwhile?

  • 2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Dolcetto di Dogliani (7/13/2006)
    Impenetrably dark. The nose is odd: yoghurt. Peach yoghurt to be precice. There is also a touch of herbs, only a hint of earthiness and the 14% alc is too evident. The palate is a little better: juicily fruity yet savoury, very tannic, perhaps a touch oaky but not out of balance, but the youghurt is very prominent on the palate also - as is the alcohol. Gladly there are lovely, high amounts of acidity! Bit still, this is a bit of a disappointment. A bit spoofulated.

Posted from CellarTracker

Ok, ok. Not quite deserving the Yuck! This is drinkable (thanks to the lovely acidity) but not too nice.

Re: TN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:47 pm
by David M. Bueker
You know Otto, there's something ironic about posting "spoofulated" from CellarTracker!

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:45 pm
by Dale Williams
Too bad. I'm not a big Dolcetto drinker (don't mind the tannins so much, but the low acidity and grapey nature) but always found the Einaudi to be a good value for the category. Surprised they've gone to oak.

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:16 pm
by Dale Williams
Just reread your note. 14% and high acidity in Dolcetto? That's got to be artificial, I would think. Oliver or someone? Is acidification (acidulation?) common in Piedmont?

I don't see this as available in US yet. I'll try to find a bottle as it's released.

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:51 pm
by Oliver McCrum
Dale,

The 14% isn't surprising, in a riper vintage. Dolcetto is a moderate-acidity variety as a rule, but there are exceptions; Anna Maria Abbona, who I import, tells me that here wine often has pretty high acidity even when ripe (high altitude vineyards, for one thing).

There have been a number of experiments with oak and dolcetto, ranging from fermentation in tini-botte (wooden fermentation vessels) to the use of smaller barrels for aging. Some of these experiments are very promising, some unfortunate.

I was under the impression that Einaudi made two Dolcettos, a regular one without wood and the 'Vigna Tecc' that used some wood. I believe he still uses Beppe Caviola for consulting, and Beppe has a great understanding of that grape.

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:53 pm
by Oliver McCrum
Dale,

I don't know if acidification is legal in DOC wines. I've never seen it.

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:48 pm
by Dale Williams
Oliver,
thanks for info. From Empson site it looks like the Dolcetto di Dogliani is raised in stainless:
http://www.empson.com/public/producers/ ... ine_detail

Maybe it's just because I often am mentally comparing to Barbera, but I always think of Dolcetto as low-acid (at least by Piedmont standards). I wasn't as surprised by the 14% as surprised by that combined with high acidity.

Is your Abbona the same one who makes the Faset Barbaresco?

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:52 pm
by Carl Eppig
Is it possible that youth is the issue?

Re: WTN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani)

PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:06 pm
by Oliver McCrum
Anna Maria Abbona estate bottles Dolcetto di Dogliani only.

The Empson site shows I have it backwards, the I Filari is at least partially oak-aged, the Tecc is traditional all-steel.

Re: TN: Yuck II (2004 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogli

PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:48 pm
by Saina
Why is spoof ironic from CT?

Though Dolcetto has a bit of a reputation as being low in acidity, I have found that in the best examples, there is ample enough acidity and a lovely bitterness that counters the lack of acidity which makes it perfectly balanced and very savoury. And as I said, the oak here wasn't obtrusive. Rather the problem I had was with the youghurt component - malo, I guess...