Liguria is the second smallest province in Italy and home to Cinque Terra.  Rossese di Dolceacqua was the first DOC in Liguria.  Located in the Riviera di Ponente, this appellation is a short drive from the French-Italian border.  Rossese, as it is called in Liguria, is called Tibouren in France.  By either name, it is a varietal that is cultivated only in this small, specific region. 

Of the 3 Rossese di Dolceacqua that I have tasted, this is the best.  With 9 years of age, this wine is still drinking well.  I doubt it would be beneficial to age this wine any further. 

The wine is relatively deeply pigmented, turning slightly brickish on the edge.  The nose leads with spicy aromas of ripe bing cherries and a beguiling peppery undertone.  It is medium-bodied and structured on the palate.  There is a nice wash of acidity that coats the mid-palate.  The finish lingers in the middle of the palate, which I thought was unusual.  But it lingers, nonetheless.  

This wine would typically be priced at around $30.  We have a final end of bin price of 19/Bottle.  If you want to try something from a road less traveled, that is actually a really good wine, I think you will enjoy the experience, and the wine. 

Just across the French-Italian border from Nice, on the dramatically steep hillsides of western Liguria, Alessandro Anfosso farms Rossese in the Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC, representing the sixth generation of his family to cultivate this finicky grape that is capable of producing gorgeous wines. Markedly distinct from the Rosseses crafted by Punta Crena in the coastal Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC, which are lighter and brighter, Anfosso’s Rosseses, made slightly inland on near-vertical rocky terraces, are darker, more structured, and charming in an altogether different way. The fruit—think cherries and strawberries—is more reserved, with smoke and stones sharing the stage. This wine pairs spectacularly with grilled and braised meats as well as a mushroom-based pasta or pizza.

We have slightly over a case left.  End of Bin Pricing