# Dolcetto di Ovada (La Smilla)

> Red, Dolcetto d'Ovada DOC by [La Smilla](https://ilvinobello.com/wineries/la-smilla.md), Gavi, Piemonte, Italy. From Il Vino Bello (https://ilvinobello.com/wines/la-smilla-dolcetto-di-ovada).

- **Producer:** La Smilla
- **Style:** Red
- **Denomination:** Dolcetto d'Ovada DOC
- **Grape:** Dolcetto 100%
- **Production area:** Vineyards with the best exposure
- **Soil:** Clay
- **Exposure:** South-East, 250 m a.s.l.
- **Harvest:** Mid-September, hand-picked in crates
- **Vineyard planting:** Guyot, vines 20 years old on average, 80 quintals per hectare
- **Vinification:** Skin maceration at the natural temperature reached in fermentation during the first days, with frequent pump-overs; stainless steel and cement; 15 days of fermentation; malolactic fermentation done; 3 months on the lees; bottled in April, about 120 days in bottle before release at the end of summer; 12% vol; first vintage 1994
- **Serving temperature:** 16-18 °C
- **Storage:** Drink within 36 to 48 months; fresh straight after bottling, evolving over time into more complex notes
- **Last updated:** 2026-10-05



## Summary

A well-structured Dolcetto from the best-exposed vineyards, with a long local tradition at the estate.

## Tasting notes

Intense ruby red. Violet, morello cherry and red fruit on the nose. Dry, slightly bitter and slightly tannic, full and enveloping on the palate.

## Food pairings

A wine for every occasion; meat dishes, also first courses, soups and light main courses