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Dogliani DOCG (formerly Dolcetto di Dogliani) is a red wine made exclusively from Dolcetto grapes grown in vineyards around Dogliani, a small town in Piedmont, north-western Italy. The wine style was officially granted the Dolcetto di Dogliani DOC title in 1974. In 2005 its finer superiore category was promoted to full DOCG status as Dogliani DOCG, and in 2011 the rest of the wines followed.

The coat of arms of Dogliani

The town of Dogliani is located among the rolling hills just a few miles south of Piedmont's most revered wine village, Barolo. But while Barolo specializes in growing fussy, hard-to-grow Nebbiolo vines, Dogliani focuses on softer, fruitier Dolcetto. The links between Dogliani and its Dolcetto wine are strong, as manifested by the town's coat of arms: a blue lion holding a golden wine carafe. It has been said (admittedly, most often by those producing and selling Dogliani wines) that the Dolcetto variety originated in the hills around Dogliani. Whether this is accurate or not, it remains true that the variety's finest expressions come from the vineyards here.

The name Dogliani is held to be a mutation of Dolium Jani, meaning 'the wine jar of Janus'. This follows a legend that the Roman god Janus visited the town to try its wines, stored in those days in earthenware dolia (wine jars). Another possible etymology points to the fact that Dogliani's soft, Dolcetto-based wines were traditionally ready for drinking well before tannic Nebbiolos from neighboring villages, perhaps even as early as the January (Janus' month) after vintage. This is no longer true today, as all Dogliani wines must spend at least 12 months in barrel before being released to market.

A standard Dogliani DOCG wine must be made from grape must with a potential alcohol of at least 11.5%, although in reality this is typically far exceeded. For a Dogliani Superiore, this minimum is raised to 13%, which theoretically ensures the use of ripe, flavor-packed grapes. spend one year ageing with at least six months in oak barrels before release. It is generally much bolder in style than those wines from its Dolcetto DOC counterparts, such as Dolcetto d’Alba and Dolcetto d’Asti, and is regarded for its intensely perfumed bouquet and rich black fruit character.

Dogliani is known for its much riper, bigger style of Dolcetto. In general it is characterized by a deep purple color and intensely aromatic bouquet, displaying black raspberry, violets, coffee and dark, bitter chocolate notes. Like the neighboring town of Ovada (of the Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG), Dogliani only produces Dolcetto wines. Other DOC towns working with Dolcetto (Acqui, Alba, Asti, Langhe Monregalesi and Diano d'Alba) also produce other wines, made from varieties such as Barbera.