Ponente Ligure has reserved many surprises for us. We knew, thanks to Sommelier education, the enography of the area, without having personally experienced the courage, the scents, the atmosphere and the welcome of the locals.
Numerous aromatic herbs grow spontaneously in the countryside, appreciated in Ligurian cuisine and cultivated by some farms. Thyme, rosemary, marjoram can be seen around the rows and on the steep slopes. Many agricultural companies are also engaged in the production of flowers, in free cultivation or in pots, which are shipped throughout Italy and also abroad.
The panorama of these areas is therefore enriched with unique scents and colors.
After leaving Pornassio and the Guglierame family with their Ormeasco, we returned to Albenga to retrieve our backpacks. A short stop in Ortovero gave us the opportunity to visit the Viticoltori Ingauni cooperative. With about 200 members, some of which are certified organic, it produces around 300,000 bottles and also sells grappa and extra virgin olive oil from the area at the wine shop.
A historical reality, which is the leader of the Vite in Riviera project and which is committed every day to producing the best possible wines with the grapes of the contributors.
The lunch, before leaving for Verona, was organized in the Innocenzo Turco farm. The restaurant, run by Lorenzo and his wife, is elegant and rustic, at the foot of the house where the Turco family has lived for decades. The cuisine is typical and refined, the atmosphere is cozy and very nice. Lorenzo’s wines are gems, from Rosa to Granaccia Cappuccini, which truly amazed us and on which we have left our hearts. A lunch or dinner at Lorenzo Turco’s restaurant deserves, for those in the area.
Our passion for food and wine brought us to the area’s extra virgin olive oil. We purchased a bottle of it at the BioVio farm. Here the watchword is Taggiasca, but there are also other autochthonous varieties in the area which, as we have understood, have an organoleptic profile similar to Taggiasca: roundness, delicate notes of bitter, pleasant and never invasive spiciness, floral bouquet.
We didn’t know this area, we are meeting it now, we lived it for a couple of days. We have great enthusiasm and desire to find out more. We think that, like many parts of Italy, it is perfect for short holidays, weekends out of town and even for longer relaxation periods, since in a few kilometers you can go from the beach to the hinterland, tasting excellent wines to accompany the local cuisine that is really excellent.
Goes the old adage: a good start is half the battle…
