2001 Brown Brothers Dolcetto & Syrah

Notes sourced from Brown Brothers.

Dolcetto is an Italian grape variety that is little known or planted in Australia. The variety hails from the mountainous Piedmont region of the north-west of Italy. Translated literally, “Dolcetto” means “little sweet one”, although the Italians generally make dry red wines from the variety. Brown Brothers, attracted by its vibrant red colour and attractive flavours of ripe summer berries, has opted to produce a distinctive fruit driven wine. The other grape variety in this blend is Syrah or Shiraz as it is known in Australia. One of the oldest known grape varieties Shiraz is responsible for many of the Rhone Valley’s best known and highly acclaimed red wines. It has also made itself very much at home within the wide range of soils and climates of Australia’s diverse viticultural regions.

This wine is made from a blend of Dolcetto and Shiraz grapes grown at our Milawa and King Park vineyards and other vineyards in Victoria. The fruit was harvested from late February to mid March 2001 at a range of baumé levels from 12.4° to 13.8°. The wine was bottled soon after fermentation, which was halted to retain a little natural sweetness and carbon dioxide. It has an alcohol of 10.5%, a pH of 3.5, an acid level of 6.5 gr/l and a residual sugar level of 80 gr/l.

The first bright splash of cherry red colour proclaims the wine’s youth and vibrancy. The nose exudes wonderful fragrant aromas of ripe juicy red berries that follow through to the palate. This exuberant wine has well-integrated sweetness, gentle frizzante and a clean, vibrant finish. The Shiraz component of the blend gives the wine length and ensures that the wine is not cloying on the finish. Chilled it is the perfect wine to enjoy with friends on any occasion, and is an extraordinarily versatile accompaniment to a wide range of savoury dishes. This wine should be enjoyed whilst young and consumed within 18 months of vintage.