Diano d’Alba is one of a handful of places where Dolcetto gets top billing among Piedmont’s pantheon of grapes. In the village, Renzo Castella is generally considered the best winemaker in town, and his vineyards are some of the most prominent in the appellation. It is perhaps a coincidence that his Dolcetto vineyards are also right on the border with Barolo, where he makes some pretty good Nebbiolo too. For a Dolcetto to be great, it has to be treated very carefully. It’s a grape that’s happy to build brick-wall style tannins, but unless it’s grown at high elevation, it lacks balancing acidity. Renzo grows his grapes at high elevation, and he makes this beautifully balanced Dolcetto with a pungent nose of cherry, rosehip jam, pepper and dusty clay. The palate is medium weight, with flavors of black cherry and raspberry, orange oil and inky black soil. Tannins are present and demanding, so be ready with a pork loin or chop, a tender cut of steak, or a rich mushroom pasta.