G. D. Vajra, Dolcetto d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy) 2013

G. D. Vajra, one of my favorite Barolo producers, also makes excellent wines from other traditional Piedmont grapes, such as this Dolcetto.  This is an unusual Dolcetto because the vines are over 100 years old and they are planted in a two vineyards — Coste and Fossati — that actually lie in the Barolo DOCG and could be planted with Nebbiolo and sold at a far higher price.  But Vajra decided to preserve the old vines and the tradition of making Dolcetto from these prized sites.  Bigger and more powerful than most renditions of Dolcetto, Vajra’s 2013 “Coste e Fossati” has a definite structure (this is not your innocuous grapey Dolcetto) which makes it a good choice for robust meaty fare this winter.