Review of Landon Winery’s Dolcetto 2012

Landon Winery, founded in 2005, offers world-class wines to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and beyond. Having two locations, the original winery being in downtown McKinney, TX and the second location in Greenville, TX, Landon Winery produces a wide array of wines. As a bonus, they also make custom personalized labels that are perfect for gift giving or events such as birthdays and weddings. They also have a custom winemaking program which allows an individual to make their own wine at Landon under the guidance of a professional winemaker. That is pretty cool if you ask me! Anyway, on to the review.

This time around, I am reviewing the 2012 Landon Dolcetto. When I saw the label, two things got my attention. First, it is a Landon wine. I have really enjoyed most of the wines I have tasted from them. Second, the fruit came from the Bingham Family Vineyard which pretty much says it all, high quality fruit! Once the cork was pulled, I poured the garnet colored beauty into my Luigi Bormioli glass.

The nose is in your face (pun intended) as it jumps out directly into the nostrils. Notes of tart red cherries, raspberries, and baking spices overwhelm the olfactory senses. The palate confirms the nose completely for me. This Dolcetto is very red fruit driven. My only qualm with this wine? The palate is fairly flat in general. I don’t want anyone to confuse this with flabby, as there is ample acidity present on the palate. By flat, I mean there is a lack of mid palate and a finish. The fruit forward complexity of this wine is all on the front part of the palate, then it tapers off to a very underwhelming mouthfeel from midpalate to finish. The fruit/tannin/acid structure is there, but not the mouthfeel.

Specifications:

• Landon Winery Dolcetto, 2012
• Appellation: Texas High Plains AVA, Bingham Family Vineyards
• Grape varieties: Dolcetto
• Clarity/brightness: Clear/bright with no detectable flaws and no evidence of gas or sediment
• Tannins: Medium
• Acidity: Medium Plus
• Alcohol: Medium
• Finish: Short
• 13.5% alcohol by volume
• Retail price: $19.99

All in all, this is a tasty bottle of wine made by a well-respected producer. If the mouthfeel was structured and layered from front to back, this would be an excellent wine for my taste. If you are looking for a good bottle of wine to pair with a creamy chicken alfredo, this would be a solid choice. If you’re seeking a full-bodied red with a well-structured mouthfeel, you’re much better off with the 2006 Meritage from Landon Winery.

Sip, savor, and enjoy my fellow aficionados.