Liguria

Liguria is almost always Terra Incognita, even for well-informed wine drinkers. The specialist literature is silent, wine journals usually search in vain for articles, and in trade and gastronomy, one rarely stumbles upon wines from this corner in the northwest of Italy. The vineyard area of Liguria has been declining for years, leaving just 2,000 hectares today—almost negligible by Italian standards, with only the Aosta Valley producing less wine.

This, however, has little to do with poor quality. On the contrary. What comes from Dolceacqua or the Cinque Terre—naming the two most famous appellations of Liguria—can be brilliant, both white and red (the opinion that the Rossese di Dolceacqua from Antonio Perrino's Testalonga winery is among the best and most elegant red wines in Italy is not just ours alone). It is much more decisively linked to the production conditions, which are difficult and extremely demanding throughout Liguria. The slopes, often cultivated in microscopic terraces, are usually only accessible on foot; on particularly steep cliffs, rope hoists and ladders are used. These are not ideal conditions, nor are they ones that can be modernized in any way. Winemaking in Liguria is cultural work in the truest sense of the word, a continual struggle between man and nature, in which nature often gains the upper hand. Additionally, over the past decades, growing tourism has provided new sources of income, offering an alternative that, while not stress-free, is at least less arduous and exhausting.

Technically speaking, Liguria consists of 65.1 percent mountains and 34 percent hills. Despite this, wine continues to be cultivated, mainly because a number of positive factors neutralize the inaccessibility of the territory. The climate is maritime and mild, and the vineyards facing the sea are exposed to a constant breeze, making fungal diseases rare. The average temperatures and hours of sunshine are ideal for viticulture, and the annual rainfall is also suitable.

Ultimately, the centuries-old wine-growing history of Liguria also plays a significant role. Wine has always been cultivated here, and knowing how intensely many Italians are connected to local and regional traditions, one understands why at least small vineyard areas continue to be cultivated.

Only 20 companies in Liguria produce more than 10,000 liters of wine; the vast majority are small to very small (86.7 percent own less than one hectare of vineyard area—compared to 50 percent in the rest of Italy). In total, there are 8 DOC (controlled designation of origin) areas, all of which have only local significance, and their wines are mainly consumed within Liguria itself. The only internationally renowned wine from Liguria is Sciacchetrà, a sweet wine that, while incredibly good (La Possa produces a version that every wine enthusiast should try at least once in their life), is hardly produced anymore.

This charming detachment from the global market also has positive consequences: for example, if you look at the grape variety spectrum of Liguria, you will notice that international grape varieties are virtually non-existent. There are only two hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 28 hectares of Merlot in the entire region. Chardonnay does not appear at all. Instead, Vermentino, Bosco, and Rossese are at the forefront, all of which either originate from Liguria or have been native there for centuries. Moreover, the isolation has led to modern vinification or vineyard methods being rarely adopted, relying instead on long-standing traditional knowledge.