Liguria

Question 1

Liguria overall

Answer 1

• Mediterranean climate, with continental influence inland.
• drought could be a problem in summer
• 2 sub-regions:
  1) Riviera di Ponente (west) : reddish calcareous marl-based soil of the ;
  2) Riviera di Levante (east): clay, sand and limestone mix.

Question 2

sub-regions of Liguria

Answer 2

2 major sub-regions.

1. Riviera Ponente: 
west stretches from Genoa (Imperia and Savona), 
1) largest, driest, most diverse
2) Alberello training
3) reddish calcareous marl
4) focus on varietal wines

2. R. Levante: East of Genoa (including Genoa and La Spezia),
   1) Steep capes and cliffs, narrow terraced vineyards.
   2) Pergola training system.
   3) Mix of clay, sandy and limestone
   4) more blends

Question 3

pigato

Answer 3

aka. Vermentino. Identical DNA but slightly different flavor profile.

Lightly herbal with stone fruits, sage and honey, shows a musky character and a saline finish.

The classic white in Ponente, varietal white produced under Riviera di Ponente DOC. Listed as separated in the DOC disciplinare.

Question 4

Main grape varieties in Liguria

Answer 4

Red: Rossese (10%, most planted red), Ormeasco (aka. Dolcetto), also sangiovese and some international varieties.

White: Vermentino(most planted,≥20%), Bosco

Question 5

Ormeasco

Answer 5

aka. Dolcetto

more herbal and lighter compared with Piemonte. Used in dry and sweet reds of Ormeasco di Pornassio DOC.

Question 6

Rossese

Answer 6

aka. Tibouren in FR, origin undefined yet.

Mostly in Ponente, varietal red in Dolceacqua DOC and Rossese Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC.
Pale ruby, medium body and bright acidity, floral and red fruits, plus herbs and spices, savory.

Question 7

Cinque Terre Schiacchetrà DOC

Answer 7

Within Cinque Terre, producing sweet passito made only in the best years, from grapes including Bosco, Vermentino, Albarola, etc.

Question 8

Bosco

Answer 8

a hardy native from Levante, often blended with Vermentino and Albarola as Cinque Terre (Bianco) DOC.

Question 9

Genoa

Answer 9

Port town of Liguria. It is in-between Ponente and Levante of LIguria.

Question 10

Cinque Terre

Answer 10

• means ‘five lands’.

- only white wines, both dry white and a sweet passito named Cinque Terre Schiachetra DOC

Question 11

Colli di Luni DOC

Answer 11

an inter-regional DOC between Liguria and Toscana. Most of it lies in Liguria.

Their wines are strongly influenced by Toscana, red sangiovese, white Trebbiano.

Sangiovese-based red blend
Vermentino/Trebbiano Toscano - based white blend.

Question 12

Rossese di Dolceaqua DOC

Answer 12

the 1st DOC in Liguria. Rossese-based, with 38 MGAs.

Question 13

Ormeasco di Pornassio DOC

Answer 13

• mountainous inland region in Liguria, making ormeasco (dolcetto) based wines

wine style includes dry red, rosato (sciac-tra), and also red passito.