Cantina Cinque Terre Bianco: The Italian Riviera in Your Glass

Cinque Terre is a collection of five little seaside villages along the Ligurian coast – the Italian Riviera. Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are colorful jewels on the rugged coastline. They are connected by pathways, not highways – the entire area is nearly inaccessible by car. This beautiful destination, south of Genoa, north of Tuscany, is popular with tourists from around the world. And more so with the growing interest in the region’s wines.

The Italian Riviera In a Glass

Though winemaking in Liguria dates back over 700 years, there are only a few DOC designated wine regions. This is mostly due to its steep, rocky hillsides and rugged coastline. Crisp, light white wines make up most of the local production.

Cinque Terra’s white wines are made from Bosco and Albarola, two grapes that are only found on the craggy steep slopes of this small region. The more popular grape, Vermentino, is also blended in the local wines. The most popular wine produced in Cinque Terre, however, is Sciacchetrà. It’s a honey-like dessert wine. Locals, and tourists alike, are also fond of the locally made limoncello and grappa.

Cantina Cinque Terre is the wine of the Cooperativa Agricoltura, the local growers cooperative. The Cooperativo has produced wines for over 100 years. In 1982 they built a new facility and adopted modern technology to make the best wines possible from the extremely limited, hand-harvested grape production of this tiny region.

My review of Cantina Cinque Terre Bianco dry white wine

This is a deliciously aromatic wine. From the first sip, aromas of ripe melon and citrus blossoms bring images of the warm Italian sun on the steep terraced hillsides. On the palate this wine is lush and refreshingly tart. The juicy melon flavors linger with the aromas of white flowers. But the flavor is intensified by the rocky mineral notes and hint of salinity – or was that just a memory of the sea air? Obviously, it carried me away

I enjoyed this Cinque Terre Bianco with fresh-from-the-garden lettuces, heirloom tomatoes, and a buffalo milk burrata. I also enjoyed it with homemade linguine with clams. The fullness of the wine balanced well with the creaminess of the burrata and the buttery garlicky sauce on the pasta. Also try this wine with crispy fritto misto, arancini, or a simple grilled fish with fresh herbs.

At approximately $24/bottle this Cinque Terre Bianco is on the high end of my price range for weekday white wines, but it is well worth a small splurge to enjoy a wine with so much character and sense of place. It was like a little side trip to the Italian Riviera in the middle of the work week! Also note, the Sciacchetrà (passito-style dessert wine) from Cantina Cinque Terre is considered their superstar wine – I’m looking forward to trying that one someday (you can read about it here when I do!).

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Annette Tomei

Chef, Wine Educator & Culinary Consultant at Wander, Eat and Tell

Annette Tomei is a chef, educator, writer, and cultural tourism consultant. She has a Master of Arts in Gastronomy and extensive education in wine and spirits including Italian Wine Scholar with Highest Honors. She is a classically trained chef and former restaurant owner. As a sought-after cooking instructor, she has created popular Port to Table cooking classes for Holland America and has contributed to several food books including Culinary Careers for Dummies. She currently works as a food, wine and spirits educator and consultant though her company, Wander, Eat and Tell. Learn more at http://wandereatandtell.com.

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