Liguria (Liguria) – a small coastal area in the North of Italy, stretched out in the shape of a boomerang along the Mediterranean coast of Tuscany, past the Piedmont to the border with France. Liguria known as the Italian Riviera, the famous côte d’azur.

Only in Liguria under the vineyards employs 6000 hectares, of which only about 500 belong to the category DOC. Production capacity is 280’000 hectoliters per year, of which 75% is white wine and about 13’000 hectoliters – DOC category. C such parameters Liguria occupies the penultimate place in terms of wine production among all regions of Italy.

The climate of Liguria to the Mediterranean, the soil is mostly poor and rocky. The landscape is dominated by hills, at the shore to take a view of the rocks, diving steeply into the sea. This topography creates obvious difficulties for viticulture. Most vineyards are scattered around the little bit of available sections, and in some cases to get to them will only be able to swim, and processing is possible only manually.

Further from shore, the situation is slightly better: the slopes are slightly less steep, but the vines are still huddled tight clusters on the patch, suitable for cultivation. And viticulture in addition to wine, plays a crucial role in preventing soil erosion and landslides.

Despite such harsh conditions, the vines are cultivated here for over 25 centuries, ever since you were brought here by the Etruscans and Greeks. Later, under the Romans, on the Eastern edge of the region formed the famous area of the Cinque Terre (literally “five lands”), which is now the appellation (Cinque Terre DOC).

Most Ligurian wines is a product of small (as we would say “crafting”) wineries, who have to cultivate the grapes on the steep rocky terraces. But this arrangement of vines, besides the terrible inconvenience, but it has a significant bonus: the seaside cliffs protect the grapes from the very cold winds blowing from the Alps. The high limestone content in the soils is particularly advantageous when producing white wines because it gives them the coveted “mineral” character.

Unfortunately, to find a wine from Liguria is almost as difficult as a place in the vineyard to produce it. Very few local wines are leaving Italy.

Varieties

In Liguria cultivated hundreds of varieties of grapes, but it is famous mainly white wines from Vermentino, known here under the name of pigato (Pigato) – for the rusty color spots (pighe) that is covered with ripe berry in this class.

For a long time there were debates, whether it is a single variety or yet different. Recent DNA tests prove their identity. Anyway, Ligurian white wine from the Pigato has a variety of flavors inherent in Liguria: salt sea and mountain conifers from the previously mentioned “minerality”.

The most famous Reds of the region made from varieties of Rossese (Rossese), giving a subtle fruity, slightly spicy wine, and ormeasco (Ormeasco), known as Piedmont, Dolcetto (Dolcetto).

The appellations

In the past there was only one DOC Rossese di Dolceacqua (Rossese di Dolceacqua), producing a soft, fragrant red wines. Now the number has reached eight DOCов.

The Colline di Levanto (Colline di Levanto DOC) in white version similar to wine Cinque Terre DOC, but with a more long-lasting bouquet. Red version (rosso) this appellation is based on Sangiovese (Sangiovese) and chiledzholo (Ciliegiolo).

Golfo del Tigullio (Golfo del Tigullio), whose territory is located between Genoa and La Spezia, received the DOC status in 1997. Almost unknown appellation produces excellent wine such as passito (from dried grapes) and varieties of pure Ligurian origin, such as bianchetta Genovese (Bianchetta Genovese).

Colli di luni (Colli di Luni) – the PDO, whose name translates as “moon hills”, produces red and white wines, the style and varietal which is a cross between a typical Liguria and Tuscany.

Val Polcevera (Val Polcevera) – the valley of the river Polcevera to be awarded recognition as an appellation in 1999. Produces a very wide range of styles: quiet white, red and pink, sparkling Spumante and frizzante, sweet passito style (passito).

Ormeasco di Pornassio (Ormeasco di Pornassio), as the name suggests, is devoted to the variety of ormeasco. So in Liguria is the name of the variety Dolcetto, known to us by the wines of Piedmont. However, the embodiment of the Ligurian variety is markedly different from the Piedmontese samples: tannins are smoother, the colors more vivid, and more perfumed bouquet.

Riviera Ligure di Ponente (Riviera di Ponente Ligure) is the last in this list but not on the value of the appellation is the largest in Liguria. Known white wines from pigato (Vermentino) and red from ormeasco and Rossese. In this DOCе selected sub-zones, specializing in each of these varieties.

We should note Ligurian autochthonous lumassina (Lumassina), he bozzetto (Buzzetto). This fair-skinned aborigines make still and sparkling wines and medium-bodied with a lively citrus bouquet with notes of yellow apples and stone fruit. The name lumassina is derived from lumachina, ie snail. This is why labels with this wine, sometimes decorated with images of these lovely creatures.