2023 Massimo Martinelli Dogliani 'Assanen' Dolcetto

400 cases made. Just 40 made it to the US.

The 2023 Massimo Martinelli Dogliani “Assanen” comes from one of Piedmont’s most overlooked—and most misunderstood—great terroirs. While Barolo and Barbaresco command the spotlight just to the north, Dogliani has quietly remained Dolcetto’s true stronghold, producing wines of depth, structure, and age-worthiness that bear little resemblance to the simple, early-drinking Dolcetto found elsewhere.

“Assanen” is not casual Dolcetto. It is Dolcetto taken seriously.

Dogliani sits at higher elevation, with cooler nights and limestone-rich soils that give Dolcetto something rare: natural acidity, tannic backbone, and real complexity. Massimo Martinelli works small parcels here with a clear philosophy—low yields, careful farming, and minimal intervention in the cellar. This is not about making Dolcetto prettier or more international. It’s about letting the grape finally show what it can do when it’s grown in the right place and treated with respect.

In the glass, the wine is deep purple-ruby, immediately signaling concentration. Aromatically, it’s dark and savory: black cherry, crushed blackberry, violets, bitter cocoa, and a distinctly Piedmontese note of almond skin and dried herbs. There’s no sweetness here, no makeup—just pure, grounded fruit layered with subtle spice and earth.

On the palate, this is where Dogliani separates itself. The wine is medium-bodied but firmly structured, with fine-grained tannins that Dolcetto rarely achieves outside this zone. Dark fruit leads—black cherry, plum skin—followed by bitter chocolate, licorice, and a touch of graphite. Acidity is present and refreshing, keeping everything taut and food-driven. The finish is dry, slightly bitter in the best way, and unmistakably serious.

What makes “Assanen” especially compelling is how rare this style has become. Serious, site-driven Dolcetto is increasingly hard to find, even in Piedmont. Most producers chase higher margins with Nebbiolo or Barbera, leaving Dolcetto behind as an afterthought. Martinelli hasn’t. Production is small, distribution is limited, and wines like this almost never travel far from their source.

This is the kind of bottle that surprises experienced drinkers. Pour it blind and watch people guess Barbera, Freisa, or even a restrained Nebbiolo. Dolcetto rarely enters the conversation—until the reveal lands, and assumptions start unraveling.

For collectors, this is a quiet flex. A wine that signals depth of knowledge rather than brand recognition. For drinkers, it’s one of the best values in serious Italian red wine: structured enough for the table, honest enough to drink young, and distinctive enough to stand apart from everything else in your cellar.

The 2023 Massimo Martinelli Dogliani “Assanen” is Dolcetto without apology. No shortcuts. No simplification. Just a reminder that some of the most compelling wines in Piedmont are still hiding in plain sight.

When people say Dolcetto can’t be great, this is the bottle you open next.