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Pigato DOC 'Riviera Ligure di Ponente'
Liguria, Italy
Pigato is a native Ligurian grape, closely related to Vermentino but with greater aromatic complexity and a richer texture. Grown on steep, terraced slopes overlooking the Ligurian Sea, it reflects both maritime freshness and mineral depth. Terre Bianche harvests by hand and vinifies in stainless steel, preserving varietal clarity and purity of place. The wine offers aromas of peach skin, rosemary, citrus peel and sea breeze, followed by a palate that is layered, gently oily and structured. Bright acidity and a salty edge keep it taut and mouthwatering through the finish. A perfect match for pesto, grilled fish or anchovy-laced pasta. Elegant and unmistakably coastal.
Technical Sheet
The Producer
8 ha stretched across wildly steep terraces at 400 metres are what Filippo Rondelli calls home. A few kilometres from the French border in the heart of the Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC, the estate of Terre Bianche has been the standard bearer for this wine for more than a century. The abundant rainfall and dazzling white clay soil imbue this remote corner of Italy with a natural propensity for delicate, aromatic wines that run counter to the current vogue for alcohol and extraction.
The salty tang of the Ligurian Alps is captured perfectly in Filippo’s classic duo. The Rossese is delicately sculpted with wild berries, cherry and a herbal twist (not dissimilar to Gamay x Mondeuse). Taken from 30 – 100-year-old vines, the wine is intensely perfumed with pleasantly bitter notes. The Pigato is spicier with a Mediterranean personality of Amalfi lemon and wild fennel. Both wines pair sublimely with fish and white meat. These are expensive but they’re the offspring of a most difficult labour and well worth the price.
