← Plan a route through Italy
Curated by Michele Edington, Certified Sommelier
Genoa is the gateway to both Portofino and the Cinque Terre's terraced coastal vineyards. Whites dominate here -- built for the local seafood, not for aging.
Grapes
white: Vermentino, Pigato, Bosco
Wines & pairings
Cinque Terre DOC
Starters
- Anchovies (acciughe) or a seafood salad — This coastal DOC blend (Vermentino, Bosco, Albarola) is grown on cliffside terraces literally above the fishing villages it's meant to accompany.
Entrées
- Trofie al pesto with light seafood — A bright, neutral white lets Liguria's basil pesto and delicate seafood stay the focus.
Vermentino
Starters
- Focaccia with olive oil, or a seafood crudo — Vermentino's saline, citrusy character mirrors the Ligurian coast itself.
Entrées
- Grilled branzino or ligurian fish stew (buridda) — A classic coastal-white-with-local-fish pairing.
Pigato
Starters
- Farinata (chickpea flatbread) or fried whitebait — Pigato has a bit more body and a faint almond bitterness than Vermentino, standing up well to fried, savory starters.
Entrées
- Seafood risotto — The wine's weight and acidity balance the creaminess of risotto without disappearing under it.
Featured along
- Italy — Genoa
Common questions
- What wine is Liguria known for?
- Liguria, in Italy, is known for Cinque Terre DOC, Vermentino, Pigato, made from grapes such as Vermentino, Pigato, Bosco.
- What grapes are grown in Liguria?
- Vermentino, Pigato, Bosco.
- What food pairs with Liguria wines?
- Classic local pairings include Anchovies (acciughe) or a seafood salad, Trofie al pesto with light seafood, Focaccia with olive oil, or a seafood crudo, Grilled branzino or ligurian fish stew (buridda), Farinata (chickpea flatbread) or fried whitebait.