Dolcetto di Ovada

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyards are located on hills with steep slopes, with arid, lean soils derived from the disintegration of tuffaceous-calcareous rocks belonging to the ancient Tertiary.
• The vineyards are planted exclusively in hillside areas at altitudes not exceeding 400 metres above sea level.
• The hilly territory winds around the course of the Orba river.
• The production area comprises the territory of 22 communes in the Province of Alessandria, centred on Ovada, including Bosio, Cremolino, Lerma, Mornese and Tagliolo Monferrato.

• The vineyards are trained using the traditional upward-growing cross-wire system (controspalliera) with Guyot pruning, a practice confirmed both by the specification and by the technical production description.
• The cultivation of the Dolcetto variety expanded particularly from the 19th century onward, although it had always characterised the vineyards of the area, to the point of being called Uva di Ovada or Uva Ovadensis.

• The wine, while having characteristics suited to ageing, is ready to drink and shows moderate total acidity and alcohol content.

• The characteristics of the hillside soils enhance the qualities of the Dolcetto grapes, making it possible to obtain wines that are more aromatic and of higher quality.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A1176
• Official trade body site — Consorzio di Tutela e Promozione dell'Ovada DOCG