Dolceaqua, more formally, Rossese Di Dolceaqua, is made from the Rossese grape variety. It is the best red grape variety of the Italian Riveria. There are other red wines from the Liguria region that use, "Rossese", in their names, although Rossese Di Dolceaqua is made from grapes growing in precipitous terraced seaside vineyards, yielding considerably better quality than others. Light in color, crisp, with a beautiful aroma of violet and exploding flavors of strawberry and cherry. It is light bodied and a perfect red wine to pair with seafood. Take a sip, relax, and imagine sipping this crisp and refreshing glass on the coast of Italy!
Wine is not sold in stores - only available to purchase for Savor club members.
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Rossese di Dolceacqua
WINEMAKING: Hand harvest and organic
AGEING: 85% of the grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed, 15% full bunch and uncrushed grapes put on bottom of tank, maceration takes place for 7 days. Followed by fermentation with indigenous yeast and an immediate malolactic fermentation to follow. Aged for about 6 months in stainless steel tanks. Bottled in March the following year.
PRODUCER: Beragna
WINE MAKER: Maurizio Anfosso and Roberta Repaci (husband & wife)
REGION: Soldano - Liguria, Italy
SMELL: Red fruit - especially cherry and strawberry with hints of dried herbs, spice, and pepper
TASTE: Unique and juicy. Refreshing with crisp acidity and mineral notes
BODY: Light
ACIDITY: High
Our spring red wine would pair well with a lot of the same foods as a white wine. When wondering how to pair a wine, always take into consideration the region, most times the cuisine of the location it is grown is a perfect match! This particular wine does not have the structure or tannin to enhance flavors of a steak or any gamey meal. The high acidity and light body make it a perfect match for vegetable driven dishes. It is a crisp delightful wine that is easy to pair or sip on its own.
Our choice:
This stuffed mushrooms recipe is an irresistible (and easy!) appetizer. It is not your typical sausage stuffed mushroom, the filling is a crispy, savory combo of bread crumbs, garlic, herbs, and cheese. The sun dried tomatoes and herbs in the mushrooms compliment this wine beautifully!
NERDY NOTE ABOUT ROSSESE DI DOLCEAQUA:
It is no coincidence that Rossese wine was initially called 'rocciese', in fact a wine “torn from the rocks”, the fruit of the hard work and toil of heroic Ligurian viticulture, tirelessly committed for centuries to cultivating this vine in such difficult, tiring and steep terrain. The Rossese vine in this area of Liguria boasts ancient origins. Its history is linked to the Greeks of Marseilles who, thanks to trade, introduced the vine to these areas, where it found the perfect environment to grow luxuriantly and become an indigenous vine unique to this territory.
"Prince of the Italian Riveria"
The story behind this winery is one that will put a smile on your face. As mentioned above, “Rossese” on the label is guaranteed to come from beautiful sloped hills surrounded by a breathtaking view of the water (as pictured above). The location of the grapes is responsible for the quality of the wine and is unmatched in the area. These wines are a rare treasure, and Rossese itself is increasingly recognized as a culinary revelation for food pairings. The owners of this winery are a lovely couple, Maurizio Anfosso and Roberta Repaci. They work and live on their farm that is only 17 acres, this 17 acres makes up the total 200 acres of the DOC that is allowed to label their wines “Rossese”. I mention a, “farm”, and not a vineyard, because everything that the couple does is in an effort to create a perfect harmony between all animals and plants on their land – giving the already unique land and grape and effortless and natural distinction. The couple makes countless trips up and down the their truck up and down the steep and winding mountain roads to get to the slopes of their vineyards. Maurizio, replanted ancient vines himself in 1999 and used, “massal selection” to replicate the vineyard that was previously planted in 1872. Massal Selection is a French wine growing term for the practice of replanting new vineyards with cuttings from exceptional old vines from the same (or nearby) property. This is just another example of how the family treats their land with love and integrity. Maurizio is also an artist who draws abstract portraits of his family members on each of his fermentation tanks – a reminder of how much of his life and love has been dedicated to his family and land.
