Domestic bliss

Embracing the top of the Tyrrhenian Sea in a mountainous and infertile crescent, Liguria boasts maritime achievements that completely overshadow a viticultural legacy that dates back to Roman times. The Romans quickly recognised that the Ligurian Alps, responsible for the superb natural harbours of Genoa and Portofino, also provided incomparable sites for cool-climate viticulture and quickly set about terracing the forbidding slopes of the Cinqueterre. Although Liguria may no longer rule the seas, the Mediterranean continues to influence both climate and commerce. Resorts of varying charm occupy every inch of coastline, and viticulture continues to satisfy the demands from tourist and stevedore alike.