Grignolino, very localized, curiosity of a grape variety of the piemonte region in north-west Italy sold almost invariably as a pale red varietal wine with an almost alpine scent and a tangy acidity. Grignolino is a native of the monferrato hills between Asti and Casale and serves the same function as dolcetto in the province of Cuneo: that of providing a wine that can be drunk young with pleasure while the brawnier wines of the zone are shedding their youthful asperity—although Grignolino is more difficult to match with food than the fuller Dolcetto. The light colour and relatively low alcohol (11 to 12%) can be deceptive; the wine draws significant tannins from the abundant pips of the Grignolino grape and takes its name from grignole, the dialect name for pips in the province of Asti.
