{"id":24,"date":"2012-06-18T13:50:55","date_gmt":"2012-06-18T13:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/liguriawine.com\/?page_id=24"},"modified":"2012-06-18T13:50:55","modified_gmt":"2012-06-18T13:50:55","slug":"rossese-di-dolceacqua","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/liguriawine.com\/index.php\/wines-of-liguria\/western-liguria\/rossese-di-dolceacqua\/","title":{"rendered":"Rossese di Dolceacqua"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Castle of Dolceacqua was built in the 12th century, the local Benedictine monastery were already tending vineyards in the region, along with fig trees. The Benedictines also introduced the cultivation of olives into the valley.<\/p>\n

Originally the vineyards were nearer the river, enabling the vineyards to be irrigated and for the barrels to be transported easily down river.<\/p>\n

As the vineyards moved higher up the hillside (bricco<\/em> is the Piemontese word for top of the hill – but now used throughout northern Italy), allowing fruit and vegetables to be cultivated near the river and around the villages, large open water tanks were constructed up in the hills, many of which remain. See notes on Coteaux de Bellet using old water tank for their cellar.<\/p>\n

In 1972, Rossese di Dolceacqua was the first Ligurian wine to obtain the D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). The DOC requires a minimum quantity of 95% of Rossese grapes, the remaining 5% can be made up of the Dolcetto and Ormeasco grapes.<\/p>\n

\"Rossese<\/a>
Rossese leaf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rossese here is a black grape, but there is also Rossese Bianco.<\/span><\/p>\n

DNA tests carried out by Anna Schneider at the University of Turin have shown a strong link with the Tibourenc of Provence – the name possibly deriving from a corruption of Antibes – the port through which the grape variety was imported into Provence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Filipo Rondelli had the idea of creating a wine library at the castle in which to keep older vintages because the region needs to establish its credentials. Just tasting the odd older vintage (as at Testalonga<\/a>) is not enough to show how the wines age. Originally Rossese di Dolceacqua were made and aged in oak, and some winemakers still have the old barrels. Rondelli feels that this clouds the purity of fruit flavour which he feels is very typical of Ligurian wine.<\/p>\n

The local food<\/a> is very focused on simple flavours. No red meat – lots of rabbit and goat. Stockfish, vegetables and Pigna beans. The Essence of the region lies in simple fresh food.<\/p>\n

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\"Rossese<\/a>
Rossese di Dolceacqua vineyards May 2010<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some of the vineyards (Terre Bianche<\/a>) are located at altitudes up to 400m above the sea level. <\/span><\/p>\n

The climate is a unique mix of hot Mediterranean and cooler Alpine with cold winds coming down from the mountains which gives ripe fruit and good acidity and a big diurnal variation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The soil is made up of large stones called locally Budingo<\/em> – the equivalent of the Poudingue<\/em> soil of Bellet, north of Nice.<\/p>\n

The main growing areas are the Valle Nervia and Valle Verbone, with a very small amount of production up the Roya Valley. Differences between Nervia and Verbone hills are the soils (calcareous and stony soils), and the east \u2013 west exposure. The Verbone valley is also warmer as the cool alpine winds are blocked by the hill on which Perinaldo is situated.<\/p>\n

The growing zone of the Rossese di Dolceacqua covers twenty-five villages. The westerly facing vineyards are hotter.<\/p>\n

Valle Roya<\/span><\/p>\n