Last days for a glass by the sea in the beach wine bar between Lazio and Tuscany

Feet in the sand, hand on the glass: these are the last days for a delicious stroll in the Maremma between Lazio and Tuscany. La Dogana is the place we would all like to visit every day of our summer, but even more so in September, when the heat is no longer stifling, when the light breeze caresses our already tanned skin. One venue, many ways to enjoy dishes and glasses. The restaurant is a guarantee. Leading the kitchen is chef Luca Morroto, with the sea right in front of our eyes and on our plate.

Mediterranean aromas and flavours

The aromas and flavours are purely Mediterranean, the music is left to the waves to play… The raw seafood platter is a wonder, the lobster salad pure indulgence, and the red mullet with pappa al pomodoro is something you would want at any time of the day. But, new this year, there is also the proposal of chef Ricardo Takamitsu, a cuisine concept in which America meets Asia, held together by local ingredients, creating dishes that are beautiful, fun, not too demanding, but without doubt rich in nuance and precise in flavour.

The “sparkling” Doganino

Then there is the Doganino, a sparkling format perfect for aperitivo: try the Bao with salt cod meatballs, the sushi (delicious), the sandwich with polpo alla luciana, truly to die for, or the tuna tataki which alone is worth the trip. Last but not least, there is also the picnic on the beach. Yes, because La Dogana also means parasols, white sand, sun loungers and tables with bar service that goes well beyond a cool drink (no surprise the beach club was awarded by the digital guide Cucinamare): choose your basket and enjoy it on the beach. Everything will undoubtedly taste better if eaten in this place of rare beauty, just a few steps from the WWF oasis of Macchiatonda and paired with a fine glass.

Rudy Travagli and the seaside wine list

Speaking of glasses. This Must Be The Place especially for drinking, for good drinking, be it wine or cocktails. The master of ceremonies is Rudy Travagli, excellent sommelier and general manager of Enoteca La Torre at Villa Letizia. First of all, there are the cocktails, designed mostly for Ricardo Takamitsu’s cuisine, some created with local botanicals from Capalbio, others where oriental ingredients appear such as kombu seaweed, shiso, sake, wasabi syrup or yuzu.

A playground for wine lovers

The wine list is a real playground for enthusiasts. It was created five years ago (since the Enoteca La Torre group has managed La Dogana) and has gradually expanded. It starts with the Champagnes from the great Maisons, which cannot be missing, while also giving attention to artisanal labels from independent vignerons.

The white wines truly cover the whole of Italy, starting, of course, from the surrounding area; good rosés are not missing either, several of them, fresh and summery but with great character, just as there is room for a nice trip across the border. Chablis is ready to be uncorked, the same goes for Bourgogne Blanc or the whites of Puligny and Chassagne (by the way, Rudy is truly skilled and will let you try Chassagne Montrachet Rouge from Pinot Noir grapes, a must-try with fish) or the Sauvignons from the Loire.

Here too, not only prestigious names. There are also wines from small artisan productions, made naturally. Those truly good ones, that are not easily forgotten. Because here we truly have not found anything to forget...