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Specializes in high quality Dolcetto
Highest vineyards in the Dogliani area, which creates fresh acidity
Practicing organic viticulture

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About Anna Maria Abbona:

The quality of Dolcetto from the village of Dogliani has been skyrocketing in the last few years, and Anna Maria's work is a good example of this. Her oldest vines were planted by her grandfather in the thirties, and the vineyards are steep and perfectly exposed. More recently she has become a convert to the doctrine of low yields, and she has joined the elite of Dogliani.

First, understand that producers in Dogliani take Dolcetto as seriously as producers in Barolo take Nebbiolo. Dolcetto is planted in all the best sites and vinified with great care, which is not always the case with Dolcetto d'Alba. Second, understand that Dolcetto is not the Beaujolais of Italy. The best modern Dolcettos have inky color, lashings of blueberry fruit, and tannins to match. In fact, the concentration of top Dogliani wines has reached a point where the tannins need to be carefully managed to be pleasant. There are three techniques that help with this - picking for phenolic ripeness, micro-oxygenation, and oak; Anna Maria is using all three.

I import two Dolcettos from Anna Maria Abbona, the Sori dij But and the Maioli, as well as a more recent addition to her line-up, her Barbera D’Alba.

Eric Asimov wrote an excellent article on Dolcetto for the New York Times, you can read it here.

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The Wines:

‘Sori Dij But’ Dogliani, DOCG

'Sori' is Piedmontese dialect for the sunny south face of a hill. 'But' or Butti is the name of the hamlet where Anna Maria and her husband Franco's house and cellar are, a stunning spot in a very beautiful area. This is classic Dogliani Dolcetto, fermented and aged in stainless steel.

It shows great color, reddish-purple and violet-tinged, aromas of blueberries and tealeaf, and some tea tannins to go with the abundant fruit on the palate. Dolcetto is one of the best table wines I know; so grill some lambchops, pour everyone a glass, and all will be right with the world.

‘Maioli’ Dogliani, DOCG

If you want proof that Dolcetto is not 'the Beaujolais of Italy,' pour yourself a glass of Anna Maria's Maioli, which is 100% Dolcetto. The fruit comes from very old vines planted in the '30s by Anna Maria's uncle. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel.

The wine is violet-tinged deep purple, a very inviting color; it smells of violets, Assam tealeaves, and blueberries; and it is a mouth-filling, deep, substantial wine to drink. 'Una bomba,' as they say in Italy, and an excellent food wine; it goes with many red meat dishes, grilled sausages, cheese...

Maioli Tech Sheet