Foresti Rossese di Dolceacqua 2014

Foresti is a third-generation grower-producer turning out some of the most iconic wines from its indigous Ligurian varieties. Foresti’s treacherous vineyards and low yields make the wines very scarce and desirable, and we are honored to share them with the California market. Liguria is shaped like a narrow crescent on the Ligurian coast, extending from the border of France down to Tuscany. Grapes have been cultivated here for 25 centuries, and came into prominence in the medieval period. Napoleon was said to have been a fan of Ligurian Pigato, which further burnished the region’s identity as an outstanding winegrowing region. The vineyards can be so steep they need to be terraced with stone walls. As there is virtually no flat land in Liguria viticulture is very small in scale and very local. Many wines are only sold in local Osterie around the town where they are grown. What distinguishes the climate from other Mediterranean areas are the autumn rains, and the constant presence of westerly winds, which help preserve the grapes’ acidity. Foresti’s focus is predominantly on the light bodied red Rossese and the local white varieties, Pigato and Vermentino. Their top bottling of Rossese comes from untrellissed 100 year old vines that climb the stone walls of the vineyard just as wild vines do. The winery itself features modern winemaking equipment and wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks. All farming is organic and sustainable.