Liguria is a wine region located on the Mediterranean coast of Italy that spreads between the French border to Tuscany, sometimes referred to as the “Italian Riviera.” Though much of the scenery is indeed stunning, it’s also rocky and steep, creating quite the viticultural challenge. But despite this, wine has been produced here for many centuries, dating from the Etruscan and Roman era. The Medieval city of Genoa is the region’s capital. It was once a powerful republic in its own right, with its own colonies, from the 12th century till the early 19th century when the area came under French rule. After the Italian unification and World War II, a newly industrialized Liguria became a flourishing region of trade and tourism, with the port of Genoa as its biggest business asset.
Vineyards are sprinkled throughout Liguria wherever conditions permit, some so remote they can only be reached by boat. Most of these are small boutique operations, dedicated to
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Liguria is a wine region located on the Mediterranean coast of Italy that spreads between the French border to Tuscany, sometimes referred to as the “Italian Riviera.” Though much of the scenery is indeed stunning, it’s also rocky and steep, creating quite the viticultural challenge. But despite this, wine has been produced here for many centuries, dating from the Etruscan and Roman era. The Medieval city of Genoa is the region’s capital. It was once a powerful republic in its own right, with its own colonies, from the 12th century till the early 19th century when the area came under French rule. After the Italian unification and World War II, a newly industrialized Liguria became a flourishing region of trade and tourism, with the port of Genoa as its biggest business asset.
Vineyards are sprinkled throughout Liguria wherever conditions permit, some so remote they can only be reached by boat. Most of these are small boutique operations, dedicated to making the most out of these steep and difficult surroundings. The slopes do have their benefits, shielding some of the coldest winds and yielding limestone rich soils that produce excellent, minerally white grapes, many particular to the region. Coronata, which has Riesling-like properties, is produced in the poetically named Colli di Lune (Hills of the Moon) DOC. Pigato, found in Riveria Ligure di Ponente among other wines, has unique, bone dry saline flavors with a slightly pine-like aroma which are an excellent match for briny seafood and herbal pasta dishes. Buzetto and Lumassina are also found as varietal releases and blends. Golfo di Tigulio is known for its passito (sweet) wines that are made from blends using the local Bianchetta Genovese white grape.
The most famous Ligurian wine is Cinque Terre (Five Lands), for the villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. How steep is it? Vineyards here are so steep that a monorail system has been built for harvest time to carry the grape bushels to the production houses. The wines are mostly dry whites from Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino. These are also produced as Cinque Terra Sciacchetra, a traditional sweet wine that has been produced since at least the early centuries AD.
Though Liguria has been most famous for its whites, there are notable red wines produced here. Rossese di Dolceaqua features the local Rossese grape, which is a light-bodied, fruity and spicy red. Ormeasco di Pornassio features the Ormeasco grape, which is often compared to the Piedmontese Dolcetto in terms of subtle flavor, dark color and early ripening properties. Some DOCs cover both whites and reds, such as Colline di Levanto, Colli di Lune, Albenga, Finale and Riviera dei Fiori. As in neighboring Tuscany, Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo typically make up the rosso blends, as does Granaccia which is the local Grenache. ~Amanda Schuster
– Description from
Amanda Schuster
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