From the Hills of Dolceaqua...

9/14/11 -

When beautiful wines hail from beautiful regions, there seems to be an extra degree of beauty to both. I had this soothing thought when I visited Danila Pisano, as we navigated hairpin curves in her jeep on the single lane tracks high above Dolceaqua, a picturesque Ligurian coastal town nestled beten the French border and the sea. In the town’s center there is a majestic and stern castle that towers over thwee shimmering Nervia River. It is popular history that Napoleon visited the castle in 1805 and gave the local wine his highest endorsement. Wine is not easily squeezed from the steep terraced vineyards of Dolceaqua; wash outs happen, and the vineyards are seldom replanted. Many winemakers have begun to favor flower production. The area is locally referred to as the “Riviera dei Fiori” or “River of Flowers,” and indeed greenhouses outnumber vineyards perched on the tops of the sun-drenched hills. 

Danila Pisano is one of a few remaining small producers making very high quality wines. She took over the family estate in 1990 and received organic certification in 1996. The vineyards themselves are not young, with some of the terraces planted to vine in 1931. Danila has not had to plow or fertilize her vineyards for the last three years and the cover crop is lush and filled with lovely flowers. Her plots are spread over several hills and include a sandy section that has many un-grafted, Phylloxera resistant vines. The ethos in the cellar is non-interventionist. Danila does not add yeast and the fermentation occurs in stainless steel. The high altitude vineyard “Vigneto Savoia” enjoys better exposure and more sunshine throughout the day. Vinified separately, "Vigneto Savoia" consistently delivers wines that are weightier and higher in alcohol. Both wines are fresh and food friendly with the weight and rusticity to pair beautifully with game birds, cheeses, and charcuterie, but perhaps the best pairing is the olive oil that comes from groves adjacent to the vines.  JR