| The part of
Liguria east of Genova is known as the Levanto (a permutation
of the French “levant,” which means “oriental,” or “east”),
and it is without a doubt one of the most spectacular stretches
of coastline in Italy. You’ve got the swanky resort town of
Portofino, perched atop the Gulf of Tigullio, while further
east are the vineyard terraces of the Cinque Terre. For the
wine lover, there are some interesting things to drink here
and there, although I’m gonna level with you: Cinque Terre’s
dizzying heights may inspire, but its wines rarely do.
The Levanto has three major wine appellations (DOCs) of interest
to the serious wine lover, the common denominator being the
herbal, tangy vermentino grape. On our list (and no doubt
on others) you will see both red and white wines labeled “Golfo
del Tigullio,” although they are more likely to be whites.
The best wines in this zone are made by Enoteca Bisson, a
terrific wine shop/winery whose roster of vermentino-based
whites always has a home at Babbo. As noted before in this
space, vermentino is one of our favorite indigenous grapes,
producing crisp yet well-structured whites that magically
capture some of the briny flavors of the nearby sea. Even
though Mario makes calamari “Sicilian Lifeguard Style,” I
often find myself gravitating toward Ligurian vermentino when
someone asks for a wine with that awesome caper- and pesto-laden
stew.
Another up-and-coming appellation in eastern Liguria is Colli
di Luni, a wine zone that actually bleeds over into neighboring
Tuscany but is centered on the Ligurian town of La Spezia.
Lately I’ve tasted a number of nice whites (also based on
vermentino) from the Colli di Luni, but also interesting are
some light, spicy reds that incorporate the bright, cherry-scented
ciliegiolo grape, which is also found in coastal Tuscany (see
my recommendation below).
And then there’s good ol’ Cinque Terre, where the typically
light and flinty whites combine a little vermentino with bosco
and albarola grapes. One producer in the Cinque Terre, Walter
De Batte, has made a bit of a name for bosco with his unusually
extracted and luscious Cinque Terre whites, which really break
the Cinque Terre mold in every way (especially price!).
But the story in the Cinque Terre is the rare dessert nectar
called “sciacchetra,” which a number of producers make but
is best exemplified by the wines of Walter DeBatte. Sciacchetra
is a dried-grape wine made from the classic local grapes,
and it combines the honeyed richness of the dried fruit with
a cleansing blast of acidity so typical of these varieties.
It is a rich and rare “vino da meditazione” (meditation wine)
and something totally different to try with a cheese plate
on your next visit. My current Levanto faves:
Golfo del Tigullio Vermentino “Intrigoso,” Enoteca Bisson
2002 Terrific depth for a coastal white; briny, citrusy,
herb-scented; great for seafood dishes.
Colli di Luni Rosso “Auxo,” Lunae 2001 A bright and
spicy red combining sangiovese, canaiolo, and ciliegiolo.
Lots of Mediterranean savor.
Cinque Terre Sciacchetra, Walter De Batte 1999 One
of the most interesting and intense dessert wines on our list.
Honeyed, spicy, unctuous, yet crisply acidic as well.
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