“Terroir Vino”

Wine Fair held at Genoa, 16th June 2008

 

There is an annual Wine Fair held in Genoa each June, with exhibitors from all over Italy (and a few “foreign” producers, too), but of course, because of its location, it drew a fair number of the normally reticent Ligurian producers there and I took advantage of tasting their wines en bloc, so to speak, and below are some of the results. Whilst Ligurian wines can hardly be called earth-shattering, it is surprising how little-known they are outside of the province in contrast to the food of the area. The whites are, generally speaking, better than the reds, as one would expect, owing to the influence of the sea in Ligurian cuisine, and there are one or two outstanding wines to be found, but the reds, which in the past have always seemed a little dilute and one-dimensional, have come on a ton over the last few years. Here is what I tasted, warts and all.

 

G. B. Parma – Ne (Genova)

Situated at Ne, a few kilometres inland from Chiavari on the Gulf of Tigullio, Azienda Vinicola G. B.Parma have been bottling wine since 1980. They own no vineyards themselves, but buy in the best quality grapes they can find from local farmers. The worry at the time was that these local wines were beginning to disappear from lack of markets and outlets and Parma’s goal was to stop these wines from sinking into oblivion. The majority of the vines consist of Vermentino, Cilegiolo and the autochthonic Bianchetta Genovese. Most have been replanted under G.B. Parma’s supervision. The Golfo di Tigullio DOC was granted in 1997 in recognition of the tipicity and excellence of the fruit, planted with great effort on steep terraces.

 

The wines are generally made for early drinking using a Vaslin press at a pressure of not more than 4 atmospheres in order to gently run off the juice from the pips and the skins. The must is then transferred into temperature-controlled vats where it is inoculated with selected yeasts and after 7 to 10 days of fermentation it is transferred again to eliminate the lees. After a further 15 days the wine is fined and filtered and is ready for bottling. The philosophy of the winery is to make as little chemical intervention as possible; the only chemical used is sulphur for stabilising the wine and usually at the level of 70/90 mg/l instead of the maximum of 200 mg/l allowed by the law.

 

Giancu du Nostru 2007 - Vino da tavolo bianco

This is a blend of Vermentino and Bianchetta Genovese – crisp but lacking a bit of complexity and length. Easy quaffing stuff. 82pts.

 

Vermentino 2007 – DOC Golfo del Tigullio

Crisp and aromatic with hints of quince on the palate. 85pts.

 

Bianchetta Genovese 2007 – DOC Golfo del Tigullio

This is more aromatic than the Vermentino, biscuity on the palate not dissimilar to a Pinot Bianco. 86pts.

 

Bisson – Chiavari (Genova)

Bisson wines were started in 1978 by Pierluigi Lugano, a master sommelier, who realised that the potential of Ligurian grapes grown by local farmers were not being converted into first class wines. Starting with the acquisition of small parcels of grapes from local farmers, he built a winery where he could vinify these grapes with modern equipment and the facility to experiment and improve results as the years went by. Excellent results enabled him to revive some wine varietals that had practically disappeared such as Bianchetta Genovese and Ciliegiolo. After some years of vinifying bought in grapes and realising that wine is born “in the vine”, he decided to plant his own vines in order to achieve a better control of the qualitative process of the wines. In his vineyards at Trigoso (Sestri Levante) and Campegli (Castiglione Chiavarese), the typical vines of Liguria are grown – Vermentino, Bianchetta and Ciliegiolo – to produce homonymous wines. A red wine, “Musaico” is also produced from bought in Dolcetto and Barbera. At Riomaggiore, grown on the terraces overhanging the sea are Bosco, Vermentino and Albarola grapes which make a typical Cinqueterre wine called “Marea”. Minimum chemical intervention ensures natural quality of the grapes produced on their 10 hectares of vines.

 

Vermentino “Vigna Intrigoso” 2007 – DOC Golfo del Tigullio

Quite perfumed and with a little more weight than the Parma wines, this nevertheless had a slightly “green” aftertaste. However it had only been in bottle about a month before I tasted it, so it may still need to integrate. 83pts.

 

Bianchetta Genovese “U Pastine” 2007 – DOC Golfo del Tigullio

Nice weight and perfume with good aromacy on the palate, this is a more settled wine with softness and roundness in the mouth. 85pts.

 

Cinqueterre “Marea” 2007 DOC

60% Bosco, the balance a mixture of Vermentino and Alberola, this is very aromatic with a good explosive attack of fruit on the middle palate. 87pts.

 

Caratello Passito 2004 Vino da Tavola Bianca

Late harvest Bianchetto Genovese, this wine is made from selected grapes that are then de-stemmed manually, crushed and left to ferment for up to 36 months in old wooden kegs. It has an old gold colour with intense flavours of candied fruit and an unctuous feel on the palate. 89pts.

 

Cascina Praié – Andora (Savona)

I really have no background information about this producer, but here are my impressions of the wines tasted.

 

Lumessina Frizzante 2007

Quite austere but with a reasonable amount of fruit. 79pts.

 

Vermentino Riviere Liguria di Ponente 2007 DOC

A little on the light side, but smooth and quaffable. 80pts.

 

Pigato Riviere Liguria di Ponente 2007 DOC

A little more earthy and biscuity than the Vermentino with more weight. 83pts.

 

Vermentino Riviere “Le Cicale” Liguria di Ponente 2006 DOC

Matured in 500 litre acacia barrels for 8 months, this is more structured and “fat” than the unoaked version. The oak is certainly unobtrusive. 85pts.

 

Cernorosso 2007 Vino da Tavola Rosso

A blend of Rossese and Syrah. Quite light, but quaffable. A little on the sweet side but with some good Syrah spiciness. 81pts.

 

Le Rocche del Gatto – Albenga (Savona)

Since the 2002 harvest, the association between Fausto De Andreis and Gigi and Chiara Crosa di Vergagni has led to a new association in the world of Ligurian wine. De Andreis was already famous for his own unique wine, Spigàu Crocciata, and the new company, benefitting from the contribution of vineyards belonging to Crosa di Vergagni and some leased ones, produces wines strictly from Ligurian grapes, worked with the utmost attention to preserve the varietal characteristics of the terroir, using modern techniques to ensure the best results both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

 

The vineyards stand on the plain of Albenga and produce wine from the 7 hectares worked. The composition of land is on red clay, well exposed to the sun and a constant breeze creates an ideal climate for the cultivation of the vines.

 

 

Vermentino 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

A little bit on the dull side, but reasonable length. 79pts.

 

Pigato 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

This is more perfumed and aromatic than the Vermentino, with more complexity. 81pts.

 

Rossese/Grenache 2006 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

Very light but fruit driven and quite complex. 83pts.

 

Vermentino “Init” 2005 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

A reserve Vermentino – no oak, but very full in the mouth with intense flavours of quince and lemon. 87pts.

 

The Azienda’s most famous and most sought-after wine is Fausto De Andreis’s “Spigàu Crociata”, -100% Pigato from selected grapes which are then left to mature for up to two years in bottle before being released for sale. The result is a wine of extraordinary finesse, but with enough weight to be able to accompany white meats, truffles and cheese as well as seafood and other delicate fish.

 

I had the chance to taste a little vertical of the wine there with the following results:

 

Spigàu Crociata 2005 Vino da Tavola Bianca

This is a really refined wine, very smooth with a slight smoky flavour. 91pts.

 

Spigàu Crociata 2004 Vino da Tavola Bianca

This has quite a petrolly flavour, not unlike mature Riesling. 89pts.

 

Spigàu Crociata 2003 Vino da Tavola Bianca

This has less structure than the latter wines, no doubt to the nature of the very hot weather in that vintage. 89pts.

 

Spigàu Crociata 2002 Vino da Tavola Bianca

This is much finer with a very long finish. 92pts.

 

Spigàu Crociata 2001 Vino da Tavola Bianca

Very smooth and fine – the producer reckons that the wine reaches its best after 5 years and this is a superb example. 93pts.

 

Bio Vio (Albenga, Savona)

 

Vio Giobatta’s ancestors have been growing grapes for other wine producers in the Albenga hinterland for as long as anyone can remember, but in 2000 he decided to make his own wine. The difference here, though, was that he decided to make his production totally organic, without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. In order to conform with his organic principles, he built a winery which enabled him to achieve his certification. The 14 hectare estate also produces olive oil and a number of different herbs which are also sold commercially.

 

Pigato “Ma Rene” 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

This is quite lively and aromatic – very clean and very pure. 85pts.

 

Vermentino “Aimone” 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

Good citrus tones but a little less body than the Pigato. 83pts

 

Pigato “Bon in da Bon” 2006 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

This is a late harvest version, coming from a single 1 hectare vineyard as has more grip, weight and length than the regular Pigato. The extra year in bottle adds to its smoothness. 88pts.

 

Rossese “U Bastio” 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

Light, cherry-flavoured wine with good finesse and complexity. 83pts

 

Rosso “Bacilò” 2007 IGT Rosso Colline Savonese

80% Rossese, 20% Grenache, this has a little more depth than “U Bastio” and more weight. 85pts.

 

Baia del Sole (Luni di Ortonovo – La Spezia)

Situated on the Ligurian/Tuscan border, Giulio Federici’s 11 hectare estate has been producing wine since 1985. Apart from the autochthonous grape varietals of Vermentino, Albarolo, Canaiolo and Cilegiolo, internationally renowned plantings of Sangiovese, Malvasia, Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah have also been made. There is a deep respect for the environment and vineyard and pest management is achieved by natural rather than chemical controls. Additional wine production is made through grapes bought in from carefully selected local growers.

 

Vermentino 2007 DOC Colle di Luni

This is quite aromatic and fresh, with a hint of Granny Smith apple. 83pts.

 

Vermentino Selection “Oro d’Isèe” 2007 DOC Colle di Luni

A reserve selection, this has obvious more body and length with good finesse. 86pts.

 

Vermentino “Sarticolo” 2007 DOC Colle di Luni

A single vineyard wine with a great deal of finesse and elegance. 89pts.

 

“Eutichiano” 2006 DOC Colle di Luni

A blend of Merlot, Syrah and Cilegiolo, this is quite cherry-like on the palate, fruity but a bit on the light side. 82pts.

 

“Forlino” 2007 IGT Golfo dei Poeti

A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Syrah, this is disappointingly a little rustic – 6 months in oak, but perhaps not integrated yet. 81pts.

 

 

Buranco (Monterosso al Mare, La Spezia)

If ever a great wine estate has been hiding its light under a bushel, this must be one of them. Nestling in a valley high above the Cinqueterre village of Montessoro al Mare, with stunning views over the dry stone terraces and the sea, it enjoys a unique microclimate that enables it to produce wines that are simply outstanding for the area. What makes the wines stand out is the sheer lusciousness that is achieved, bringing the wines on to a much higher plane than most of its neighbours for many miles around. The estate is now run by Luigi Grillo, who took it over from the original German proprietors, Sonja and Kurt Wachter, who set the parameters of standards for this unique estate. The Cinqueterre is a trying place to cultivate; the man-made steep terraces, inaccessible to modern machinery, will only sustain the fruits of human effort and the dryness of the land extracts the maximum stress out of the vines that grow there, but the fact that so much concentration of flavour has been achieved brings home the dedication to quality that this estate stands for.

 

Cinqueterre DOC 2007

A blend of 60% Bosco (hardly ever found outside the Cinqueterre area) 20% Vermentino and 20% Albarola, this has weight, lusciousness and complexity on the finish. 90pts.

 

“Magoa” 2007 DOC Cinqueterre

Same blend but this is a “cru” of selected grapes which drives the finesse just a little further than the regular wine. 92pts.

 

Rosso Buranco 2006 Vino da Tavola

Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Syrah (30%) and Merlot (20%) – well matured, deep and unctuous – a far cry from some of the weedy reds that you find in the area. Mind you, these are not local grapes, but they stand on a par with some of best reds of this type that Italy can produce. 92pts.

 

Buranco Sciacchetrá 2006 DOC Cinqueterre

An extraordinary amber coloured Passito 5 months in oak and 15 months in steel, with a real intensity of flavour. Made from Bosco (80%), Vermentino (15%) and Albarola (5%), there are nuances of apricot, banana and candied fruits with a luscious and long finish. Only 1000 half bottles of this wine were produced, so it has scarcity value, too. 94pts.

 

Giacomelli (Castenuovo Magra – La Spezia)

Roberto Petacchi founded the winery in 1993 and has continued to build a reputation for being one of the best producers in the area, in America as well as locally.

 

Vermentino 2007 DOC Colli di Luni

Very clean, fresh and aromatic. The usual hints of citrus with good length. 83pts.

 

Vermentino “Boboli” 2007 DOC Colli di Luni

Single vineyard version, much longer, smoother and more refined. 87pts.

 

Vermentino “Pinacci” 2007 DOC Colli di Luni

Another single vineyard wine from a hillside vineyard some 250 metres above Boboli. Even more refined with a very persistent finish. 89pts.

 

Specchio di Vitae di Mauro Feola (Chiusavecchio, Imperia)

Mauro Feola is a consultant oenologist and agronomist, but still finds time to do his own thing.

 

Pigato 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

Quite lively and fruity. Good complexity and length. 85pts.

 

Vermentino 2006 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

Still good fruit here but not quite as complex as the Pigato. 82pts.

 

Rossese Dolceacqua DOC 2006

A bit rustic but with bright red berry fruit coming through. Reasonable length. 84pts.

 

 

Tenuta Anfosso (Soldano, Imperia)

Tenuta Anfosso is a small estate, bottling their own wines only since 2003, although the Anfosso family have been grape growers since the nineteenth century. All grapes are hand picked and vinified in stainless steel. No wood is used in the maturation of any of their wines.

 

Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC 2007

 

Sulphur on the nose, a little bit on the thin side and simple. Reasonable length though. 79pts

 

Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC 2006

 

This is much smoother with rounded cherry fruit, but still a bit simple. 81pts.

 

Rossese di Dolceacqua Superiore DOC “Poggio Pini” 2006

Single vineyard version with some vines being over 100 years old. It shows. This is very smooth with great depth of character and complexity despite being totally unoaked. 89pts.

 

 

Alessandri Massimo (Ranzo, Imperia)

The estate consists of just 5 hectares of vines on chalk-clay hills varying between 280 and 400 metres above sea level in the commune of Ranzo, near Imperia. Yields are moderated by severe green pruning and the wines are vinified in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wines are generally bottled in March and released for sale during the month of May.

Vermentino 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

A lively and aromatic wine with good length and complexity. 85pts.

 

Pigato 2007 DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente

More length and weight but lacks a bit of complexity. 85pts.

 

Seiana 2006

90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is a bit dull and simple with overtones of stewed tea. Not a thrill. 78pts.

 

Ligustico 2006

This is a Grenache/Syrah blend matured for 12 months in old oak. Not quite Châteauneuf-du-Pape but a soft and supple wine with ripe fruit and nice length. 88pts.

 

Cantine Lunae Bosoni (Ortonova, La Spezia)

One of Liguria’s leading wine producers, Paolo Bosoni’s Cantine Lunae has a large range of wines. They have been producing here for five generations and are now probably the best known producer from Liguria. Apart from their own 40 hectares of vines divided into 15 different vineyards, some 150 locals in this area on the border of Liguria and Tuscany, bring in their grapes to supplement Lunae’s own supply to make wine in their state of the art winery.

 

Onda di Luna 2007 DOC Colli di Luni

This blend of Albarola, Vermentino and Greco is cold macerated for 48 hours and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. The result is a lively, aromatic wine with good structure and a long finish. 88pts.

 

Vermentino (Etichetta Nera) 2007 DOC Colli di Luni

The more profound of the two straight Vermentinos produced, this has excellent aromacy and length. 88pts.

 

Cavagino 2007 DOC Colli di Luni

Vermentino again, macerated on the skins for 48 hours, but this time with 40% of the wine fermented in oak barriques for a period of two to three months. The oaking is judicious and the result is an intense, aromatic wine with plenty of grip. 91pts.

 

Niccoló V 2005 DOC Colli di Luni Riserva

A blend of Sangiovese, Pollera Nera and Merlot, this wine has spent 12 moths in oak. It’s very dark and deep, but is has beautifully soft tannins to complement the excellence of the red berry fruit on the palate. 92pts.

 

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