6/21/26 - 

As someone who is constantly tasting wine, the simplest yet hardest question I get asked is "What's your favorite wine?" This is surprisingly difficult to answer because there are thousands of grape varieties in Italy alone! My answer tends to change with the seasons, and in June I am typically recommending Ligurian wines for their sea breeze freshness and mineral driven profiles. All of the lovely peas, lettuces, herbs, corn and apricots popping up in the farmers markets this month inspire me to cook meals paired with the wines of Liguria. Today we have 8 selections spanning the grapes of Pigato, Vermentino, Ciliegiolo, and Rossese from Bruna, Bisson, and Punta Crena.

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Bruna

Roberto Germani and Francesca Bruna

Winemakers Francesca and Roberto of Bruna are synonymous with the grape Pigato. They farm 7.5 hectares in the Arroscia Valley of Western Liguria 200-300 meters above sea level. Their river valley funnels cool air and moisture from the sea to the vineyards, with groves of ancient olives on the steep slopes and peach and persimmon trees on the valley floor. Liguria is known for its wild growing herbaceous brush called 'macchia', the Italian equivalent of 'garrique'. Because Francesca is letting native yeasts ferment the wines, they reflect this aroma of macchia while old vines deliver depth and concentration. Fish, trofie al pesto, focaccia with olives, and chickpea fritters are all natural regional pairings.

Today we are offering three Pigato: 2025 Maje, 2024 Le Russeghine, and the very limited 2023 U Baccan. Maje is sourced from limestone-rich soils mixed with white & blue clay, dense with fossils crafting a lovely soft and fresh wine. Le Russeghine is the most structured, serious, and savory with it's red iron soils. U Baccan is a selection of the oldest vines from these plots with the deepest mineral character and concentration. 

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Punta Crena

Punta Crena has been in production for 500 years! All of the Ruffino family’s vines are within 1200m (¾ mile) of the water in the town of Varigotta slightly more East from Bruna. The ‘Punta Crena’ is a small peninsula which juts into the Ligurian Sea. While The Ruffinos do not claim titles like ‘natural’ or ‘organic’, they have been farming and vinifying with minimalistic techniques passed through generations- the very practices the modern natural wine movement aspires to! Today we are offering their 2024 Vigneto Isasco Vermentino and 2024 Vigneto Isasco Rossese, a crisp, salty easy drinking white and a light herbaceous red deserving of a light chill. Both wines beautifully transmit the sea, the wild herb-laden brush of Liguria, and the red clay & gravel soils of Vigneto Isasco.

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Bisson

Heading East across the crescent of Liguria we find Pierluigi Lugano's gem of an estate called Bisson. Lugano is passionate about preserving traditional Ligurian grapes, techniques, and traditions. For decades, he has been acquiring prime parcels in the stony, steep terraces of the Cinque Terre as well as purchasing fruit from growers he works with very closely. He is an expert and lover of all things Liguria, reflected in the depth and joy of his wines. Today we have the 2025 Ciliegiolo Portofino Rose, 2025 Marea Cinque Terre, and 2025 Pigato Colline del Genovesato Bianco. Click 'View the Wines' below to read more about each selection. 

-Marisa Licandro

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