Liguria
Liguria is a crescent shaped strip of land bounded by France, the Alps, the Appenines and the Mediterranean sea. The rugged terrain of this slender seaside region makes grape growing a challenge, meaning that vineyards are scattered and wine production is limited. The capital Genoa has long been an important trading port and hence it has been influenced by contact with Spain, France and other parts of Italy. The legend among Liguria’s wines is Cinque Terre, a white wine made around the "five lands," a series of fishing villages nestled in the cliffs along the coast north of La Spezia. Vines there were planted long ago on scarcely accessible terraces, some close enough to the Ligurian Sea to catch the spray from breaking waves. Cinque Terre is a dry white wine made from Bosco, Albarola, and Vermentino, while Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà is the sweet version.