The secret life of the beach club with over a thousand (stunning) bottles on the menu

Yes, there’s no doubt. First and foremost, it is a beach club. There are sun umbrellas, sand, and the sea. And, like any self-respecting bagno marittimo, you can also eat (very, very well). But if we were to think that Lo Scoglietto is just a seaside restaurant in Rosignano, we would be making a big mistake.
Welcome to one of the most fun, irreverent, and unexpected drinking spots in Italy – one of those places regularly frequented by compulsive cork-pullers and bottle lovers, be they winemakers, wine journalists, restaurateurs, or so-called ordinary enthusiasts.

Lo Scoglietto: postcards from the 1950s

Its origins date back to the 1950s, as evidenced by various postcards of the time depicting Bagni Liana and Lo Scoglietto. Its current incarnation is thanks to Claudio Corrieri, a great maître d’ and a passionate (and knowledgeable) wine lover, and his wife Isabella Lazzerini Denchi, an excellent cook who runs the kitchen.
Claudio and Isabella have been managing the business since 1994 – over thirty years in which countless anchovies have been served, endless fried squid, and many bowls of cacciucco brought to the table. Speaking of cacciucco: one day, Roberto Petronio and Olivier Poussier – renowned journalists from La Revue du Vin de France (Poussier was also crowned the world’s best sommelier in 2000) – arrived here and, while sipping a spectacular Blanc de Millénaires 2004 by Charles Heidsieck, they criticised the famous Livorno fish stew.
Perhaps the French duo had expected a more delicate seafood dish – but Corrieri’s expertise won them over. Another bottle popped, and the place was already marked as a “Coup de Cœur”.

The Caciucco of Lo Scoglietto

Beach, dives, big fish and beautiful bottles

But what truly went down in history are Sean O’Callaghan’s parties. Sean is a winemaker who heads up Tenuta di Carleone. His birthday celebrations begin at lunch and finish at dinner – somewhere between bacchanals and hippie gatherings, where everything imaginable is opened.
It’s mandatory to start with the anchovy dish and some fried bites paired with bubbles (by the way, the wine list features around a thousand labels and roughly 400 Champagnes, as Claudio also works as an importer).
It’s only right to continue with a proper seafood feast alongside bottles Sean likes to describe as “funky”, followed by a nice dip in the sea and another glass. At some point, dinner time rolls around and the survivors are already gearing up for aperitivo and a couple of plates of spaghetti to pair with the (few) remaining bottles.
Here lies the true spirit of Lo Scoglietto – relax, listen to the waves lapping at the shore, know there’s always time for a swim, but above all, enjoy expertly cooked fish and drink some truly great, magnificent bottles. Leave your watch at home – along with any commitments or worries.

The favourite apot for producers and enthusiasts

It’s no coincidence that many well-known producers choose Rosignano for a break that delights the palate, the stomach, and the mind. Around here, the booking notebook often features names like Gaja, Antinori, Incisa della Rocchetta, Rinaldi, Manetti, Braganti, Massolino, Germano, Conterno.
Sometimes they bring their own wines to taste – a few old vintages. Other times, they order straight from the menu. There’s no shortage of fine bottles, and the bubbly is always chilled, open, and ready on every table.

Lo Scoglietto RistoBeach – Rosignano Marittimo (LI) – loc. Rosignano Solvay – 0586 767962 – loscoglietto.com