Liguria remains a region of undeniable charm, with many reasons stemming from its wine production. First and foremost, it's worth mentioning the terrain, with vineyards often built on terraces or clinging to steep slopes by the sea, at altitudes that create challenging viticulture - the use of machinery is indeed very difficult - a so-called heroic viticulture, which only skilled winemakers, artisans who work (and love) the land, manage to carry out.
Obviously, we're talking about small patches of vineyards translating into a very limited vineyard area. In light of this, the wine quality is undoubtedly high, also thanks to new scenarios that we strive to highlight year after year.
Here we focus on an indigenous red grape variety typical of the Ligurian Riviera di Ponente, Rossese, which finds its maximum expression in the Dolceacqua area, inland from Sanremo. It's the basis for two DOC wines, Rossese di Dolceacqua and Rossese della Riviera Ligure di Ponente.
A wine with good structure, with scents reminiscent of the Mediterranean underbrush, Rossese di Dolceacqua is produced in the Val di Nervia, in the province of Imperia. The production regulations almost exclusively require the use of the Rossese grape variety (only 5% of other grape varieties are allowed).
The best Rossese wines
Here are the Rossese wines that have obtained Tre Bicchieri or Due Bicchieri Rossi, having reached the finals during the tastings for the Gambero Rosso 2024 Vini d'Italia guide
Expansive in fruity aromas, nuanced and intriguing, the Rossese di Dolceacqua Posaù 2021 (Tre Bicchieri) by Maccario Dringenberg brings forth sensations of plum and raspberry, with an intriguing and rounded body of great harmony. The Settecamini 2021 has a high olfactory impact, pleasant in its notes of fruits and licorice, with an important and velvety sip. Tastings of the "reserve" of the previous vintage, 2021, are ongoing. As for the 2022 harvest, the significant drought of the vintage greatly impacted the territory, also affecting this winery, which significantly reduced production, forcing the company to produce only the Dolceacqua Curli '22. Giovanna and her husband Goez thus decided to bottle the wine with a single, new, and unrepeatable label, dedicating it to the first oenological prize won 100 years ago and to those who created the company: "F.lli Maccario 1922".
With a violet hue, the Rossese 2022 by Laura Aschero is rich in scents of ripe red fruits. The body is harmonious, warm, and well-balanced. The vintage was characterized by a strong drought throughout the territory, which contracted viticultural production and consequently the bottles produced. Even Laura Aschero's company, led by her granddaughter Bianca Rizzo, assisted by her parents Carla and Marco, had to contain sales and, exceptionally for this year, close the doors to wine tourists. And it's a real shame because the company, an ancient jewel located below the central square, is a precious asset for the small village of Pontedassio.
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