Often forgotten in northwestern Italy as the unimportant sibling to Barbera and Nebbiolo, Dolcetto is a red wine grape that can make a wonderfully fruity wine that is approachable in its youth and pairs well with a wide variety of cuisine.

Just a bit of Dolcetto is made in the Northwest, primarily in Washington’s Columbia Valley and Oregon’s Umpqua Valley.

This story was originally published June 16, 2012 4:46 PM.