Rossese di Dolceacqua / Dolceacqua DOC

This is the premier red wine of Liguria, hailing from the precipitous slopes of the extreme western part of the region near the French border. The wine is made from the Rossese di Dolceacqua grape (min. 95%), a high-quality variety genetically identical to the French grape Tibouren found in Provence. It must be distinguished from the inferior Rossese di Campochiesa grown further east. The viticulture here is often described as “heroic” due to the sheer steepness of the vineyards, which cling to mountainsides plunging toward the Ligurian Sea, often requiring manual labor so intense it gives observers a “neck ache” just looking at them. For locals, Rossese is more than a wine; it is a “family member” cultivated by ancestors since at least the early 1800s.

The Terroir The production zone encompasses the steep valleys of the Nervia and Verbone torrents, including towns like Dolceacqua, Soldano, and Perinaldo. The vines grow in a unique subalpine-mediterranean transition zone, often at high altitudes (up to 600m), where they struggle to ripen fully.

• Soil Variations: The soil composition dramatically affects the wine. The local sgruttu (a marly-clay mix) yields the most complex wines; the calcareous clays of Val Verbone produce perfumed, earlier-drinking wines; while the loamy clays of Val Nervia produce structured, deeper wines.
• The Crus: This appellation takes its terroir seriously, with recognized grand cru sites (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive) such as Galeae, Beragna, Luvaira, Pini, Posaù, and Arcagna.

The Critical Take Rossese di Dolceacqua is a wine of finesse, not power. It is never dark or inky, but rather a bright, translucent ruby. It is prized for its “salty-sour” profile—reminiscent of red currants and cranberries rather than sweet cherries—and its complex aromatics of violet, graphite, rose, and black pepper. It is a graceful, charming red that pairs exceptionally well with fish, rabbit, and Ligurian cuisine. While delicious young, top examples from crus like Galeae or Pini can age for a decade.

Liguria’s First Crus The list of named sites in this appellation is not decorative. Dolceacqua was the first Ligurian denomination to formalise menzioni geografiche aggiuntive, and the growers who pushed for it were making an argument that a region of half-hectare parcels on vertical ground has more in common with Burgundy than with anywhere selling wine by volume. The crus are small enough that several amount to a few rows.

At the Table The classic Ligurian pairing is coniglio alla ligure, rabbit braised with Taggiasca olives, pine nuts and rosemary, and the wine was effectively designed for it. Also sardenaira, stuffed vegetables, and — unusually for a red — grilled fish. Serve at 14–15°C, cooler than most reds and cooler than most people expect.

Benchmark Producers Maccario-Dringberg (Master of the Posaù and Luvaira crus), Terre Bianche (Bricco Arcagna), Tenuta Anfosso (Poggio Pini), Ka’ Manciné (Galeae and Beragna), Testalonga, Lupi