The Spirit of Vertical Winemaking

Liguria is not built for large-scale wine production, and that’s exactly why its wines are so special. Here, winemakers tend tiny plots carved into cliffsides, reachable only by foot or monorail. It’s another example of heroic viticulture, where every vine is a labor of love.

We didn’t visit any wineries this time, but we journeyed through the soul of Liguria, from Rapallo to Santa Margherita, San Fruttuoso, Camogli, and the postcard-perfect Portofino. Each town had its own flavor, but the landscape was the constant: steep hills covered in vines and olive trees plunging into the deep blue sea.

In Camogli, we found bottles of Pigato and Vermentino served in tiny beachfront trattorias. In San Fruttuoso, accessible only by boat or hiking trail, we sipped local white wine with grilled octopus just steps from the monastery. And in Portofino, elegant glasses of Rossese di Dolceacqua were poured beside plates of fresh anchovies and lemon-scented pasta.

We may not have walked the vineyards, but we tasted their stories, in every seaside glass.

Food That Smells Like Home

Ligurian cuisine is a triumph of simplicity and freshness. It’s food that whispers, not shouts. Pesto Genovese reigns supreme, and tasting it made with tiny-leaf basil, pine nuts, and local olive oil was a revelation. No wonder the rest of Italy tries to imitate it.

We stopped at a cliffside trattoria in Camogli, where lunch was a celebration of land and sea:

• Focaccia di Recco: Warm, melty, and paper-thin
• Trofie al pesto: Handmade twists coated in green gold
• Acciughe ripiene: Fresh anchovies stuffed with herbs and breadcrumbs
• Torta Pasqualina: Savory Easter pie of chard, eggs, and cheese

It was a feast of brightness, of Mediterranean joy, light yet satisfying, best enjoyed with a chilled white and the sea breeze at your back.

A Region of Quiet Passion

Liguria isn’t flashy. It doesn’t boast. But those who make wine here do so with deep respect for nature and tradition. They know the land gives only what you earn, and even then, just a little. But that little? It’s gold.

There’s a saying here: “poco ma buono” — little, but good. Ligurian wine is just that. Limited, local, and full of soul.

Why You’ll Always Want to Come Back

Liguria leaves you with salt on your skin, green on your plate, and a mineral tang in your glass. You come for the views and the pesto, but you stay for the peace, the people, and the poetry in every sip.

At Viniamo, we bring that poetry home to you, one coastal bottle at a time.