Liguria is the third smallest wine-growing region in Italy and stretches as a narrow band over 350 kilometers from the French border to the northern edge of Tuscany. The Ligurian Alps, which are almost 2,500 metres high, and the Apennines plunge almost precipitously into the sea here, so that in the past the vineyards, which were carved into the stone as terraces, could only be reached by boat. However, the mountains also offer protection from cold winds from the north, so that a warm Mediterranean climate prevails in Liguria.
In the steep vineyards, which used to be called the "hanging vineyards" of the Cinque Terre, mechanical work is impossible; here all the necessary work must be done by hand. The difficult and labourious work in these vineyards led to a massive exodus from the land after 1945, so that today just about 2,000 hectares are still under vine. Due to its location in Italy and the proximity to France, an unbelievable number of grape varieties can be found in the vineyards. Researchers claim to have identified up to 133 different grape varieties.
Today, however, only Vermentino, Pigato and Bosco are important for white wines, while Sangiovese, Rossese and Dolcetto dominate among the red wine varieties.
Both white and red wines are of good and interesting quality, but because of the complex and therefore costly work in the vineyards, they are of course relatively expensive.
