Liguria

The region (Ital. Liguria) is located in the northwest of Italy and nestles kidney-shaped on the Gulf of Genoa. The approximately 350 kilometres of coastline of the Riviera di Levante and Riviera di Ponente stretch from the French border in the west to the northern edge of Tuscany. The largely rugged and stony land is difficult to cultivate. The capital Genoa was already an important port in antiquity and in the Middle Ages the second most important transhipment point for wine after Venice. The Greek historian Strabo (63 B.C.-28 A.D.) already praised Ligurian wine. The famous naturalist Andrea Bacci (1521-1590) wrote "that the wines of Liguria could even make stones bloom".

The vineyards cover around 1,650 hectares of vines. The steep terraced vineyards, laboriously hewn into the rock, are mainly located in the Arroscia valley in the west and in the Miagra valley in the southeast. A dry Mediterranean climate prevails, the Ligurian Alps and Apennines, which are more than 2,500 metres high, protect against cold winds, and the sea stores the sun's heat. Inland, however, it can rather be described as semi-continental. The reddish, chalky soil found along the coast is very suitable for white wine varieties. Over a hundred mostly autochthonous grape varieties are cultivated, often in tiny quantities. Efforts are being made to reactivate them and save them from extinction.

The international varieties hardly play a role in the DOC regulations. The most important white wine varieties are Albarola, Bianchetta Genovese, Bosco, Lumassina, Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc), Pigato, Rossese Bianco di San Biagio, Ruzzese, Scimiscià, Trebbiano Toscano and Vermentino. The most important red wine varieties are Ciliegiolo, Granaccia/Alicante (Garnacha Tinta), Massaretta (Barsaglina), Ormeasco (Dolcetto), Pollera Nera, Rossese di Campochiesa, Rossese di Dolceacqua (Tibouren) and Sangiovese. The IGT (country wines), DOC and DOCG (quality wines) areas are:

• Cinque Terre or Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà (DOC)
• Colli di Luni - also in Tuscany (DOC)
• Colline del Genovesato (IGT)
• Colline di Levanto (DOC)
• Colline Savonesi (IGT)
• Golfo del Tigullio-Portofino or Portofino (DOC)
• Liguria di Levante (IGT)
• Ormeasco di Pornassio or Pornassio (DOC)
• Riviera Ligure di Ponente (DOC)
• Rossese di Dolceacqua or Dolceacqua (DOC
• Terrazze dell'Imperiese (IGT)
• Val Polcèvera (DOC)

Image: © Raffaella Usai