Two main production areas can be found along the road that climbs from Dogliani to Monforte passing by the small church of San Luigi. The first zone is located to the right of the road and is known as Valdiberti. It is nearly symmetrical to the northern zone of Valdibà and is composed of a series of ridges that are perpendicular the main axis (which coincides with the road) and whose southern and southwestern slopes are, as always, the most promising.

Between one ridge and the other, there are other areas that lie on the main crest such as Briccolero and La Bruna, which face east and southeast. While the altitude is constant all along the range (the ridges are about 440 metres high and the lower zones 400-420 metres high), the soil changes progressively and becomes paler. The style of the wines produced here changes accordingly, from the elegance of those produced below the church of San Luigi (Corte, Cagnassi, Massocco, Briccolero and Asel), to the more tannic wines of the areas bordering Monforte, especially Botte and Landes.

The area to the left of the road, known as San Luigi, is less articulated. Beyond the amphitheatre of Pizabò, the vineyards grow all along one southeast facing hillside that stretches from Giardina to Abbene, passing through the Valle dell’ Olmo or San Bernardo. The soil of this area is pale and light and is therefore renowned for its quality, yet unfortunately, no single-varietal wines are currently produced here. At the two extremities of this slope lie Doriolo, to the south, a more red and stony terrain that reaches all the way to the Tanaro plain, above Fossati, whereas to the north lies Torello, which is entirely similar in position, altitude, and land to the parallel Toscana ridge in the Santa Lucia area. Lastly, we have Ribote, whose exposure is certainly not the best, but is still held in high regard by some producers who believe its quality can rival some of the best crus of San Luigi (confirming that the soil can, in fact, sometimes compensate for an unfavorable exposure, especially in the case of Dolcetto). Still in the San Luigi area, but in a more secluded position and closer to Dogliani, we finally have La Brà, which lies on a slope that is well exposed to the sun and almost parallel to Fossati, yet with a slightly lighter soil.

The Valdibà hillside is perfectly parallel to San Luigi and Pianezzo, but, apart from the south-eastern slope which is similar to Pianezzo in structure and soil type and is a bit lower in elevation, the rest of the cru has very different characteristics.

The north-western slope is composed of a series of small ridges perpendicular to the main axis of the sub-zone and, consequently, has a good south-western exposure. The lowest areas are about 430 metres high, while the highest reach an altitude of 510 meters (San Fereolo) and 520 metres (Ciri and Serra). Altitude and exposure combine to form a favourable microclimate that influences the taste of the wines produced here, which are generally more supple than those produced in the less sunny parts of San Luigi and Pianezzo.

The vineyards that grow on the pale soil of the southeastern side, particularly in San Bartolomeo, produce a more mineral and coarser wine, similar to the wine of San Martino. On the other hand, in the area of Castelle the wines are richer in colour and volume and have more traits in common with those of the higher part of San Luigi (Landes and Botti) than with those of the rest of the Valdibà zone.

In terms of elevation and form, the Pianezzo hillside has more in common with the southern part of the DOCG area than with the rest of the Dogliani area. Having a more internal geographical position and altitudes that vary between 390 and 550 metres means the climate here is cooler and the wines are more tense and crisp, yet less mineral than those of the Sbaranzo hillside.
Three sub-zones can be defined within the main area, though none are densely cultivated. The southeastern side, San Martino, is narrow and steep and has a pale soil which produces elegant, delicate, and lightly-coloured wines. The northwestern side, Pianezzo, a sort of inclined plane with reddish soils, produces darker, fuller-bodied wines. Finally, the lower zones give less distinguished wines, with the exception of Castiglia, whose wines seem to be able to reconcile the distinctive acidity of this area with a heavier, almost austere tannic structure.

The sub-zone of Madonna delle Grazie, as established by the municipality of Dogliani, covers a large area that extends from the hills just south of the town to the ridge of Cornole, bordering the Giacchelli vineyards.
To the east, it reaches as far as Borgata San Giorgio, directly in front of the Pianezzo ridge; to the west, it ends at the road that connects Dogliani and Farigliano, beyond which the Taricchi sub-zone begins.
Two smaller but significant vine-growing areas are located within Taricchi: Gombe and Pironi. The first can be further divided into two vineyards: Tecc, with more structured wines, and Spina, whose wines are less intensely tannic, just like those from Gombe, an area directly behind the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie.
To the east, the Pironi vineyards are smaller in size and, especially on the southern hillsides, produce very characteristic wines with strong, tarry tannins which, in the best vintages, allow for a length and persistence that are not often found in Dolcetto. Lastly, the ridge of Casale Soptano has a few good southeast-facing vineyards.

The sub-zone of Taricchi is limited to the ridge that runs westwards starting from the crossroads that leads to Belvedere and Murazzano, in one direction, and to Farigliano in the other. Only a small but sunny part of the hillside is included in the territory of Dogliani, while the rest, more specifically the Bricco Rosso, Garbiana, and Monterustico crus are part of Farigliano. Rather than for their structure, the wines produced here are known for being well balanced, round, and for having an expressive fruity notes.