Aldo Conterno Dolcetto d'Alba 2000

Aldo Conterno Dolcetto d'Alba 2000: A lovely vibrant red, with an obvious purple tinge denoting youth. Dense black cherry fruit on the nose, with some meaty, gamy notes on the side. There are also some rustic, animal, farmyard aromas, with a metallic edge - suggestive perhaps of some Brettanomyces? On the palate the wine is medium bodied, but quite structured and with good extract. There are some soft, slightly chalky tannins, although these seem to have a little more muscle on the finish, and are quite drying. Fresh acidity and good fruit, leading to a savoury, chewy finish. This is quite a serious example of Dolcetto. 16/20 (2/6/03)