Tenuta Anfosso

The origins of the Anfosso family in Dolceacqua of Liguria can be traced back to the 1400s! Documents attest to the replanting of the Poggio Pini vineyard to the Rossese (Rosso) grape 1888 by Giacomo Anfosso – a vineyard that still stands today, planted on its own roots. The 6th generation to work their family’s land, Alessandro Anfosso and his wife Marisa are today at the helm of their winery in this western stretch of Liguria, where they’ve expanded their total holdings to 5 hectares of vines planted to steep slopes of dry stone terraces that help keep their ancient grapes in place. Of course, these 5 or so hectares of vines is not nothing when you consider the fact that the entire vineyard plantings within the DOC of Rossese di Dolceacqua is a mere 80 hectares!

Given the deep connection the Anfosso family has to their vineyards in the village of Soldano, each year Alessandro and Marisa choose to highlight single cru expressions of this Ligurian grape, as well as an entry level Rossese. From the Fulavin vineyard (about 50 years old) that sits on the hill above the winery’s home village of Soldano, shale, clay and limestone give wines a deep mineral drive that compliments Rossese’s typical red-fruited juiciness which here is balanced by a spice-tinged finish. From the steep slopes (70% grade) of the Poggio Pini vineyard (planted 1888), the wines turn more savory, with red fruits giving way to dark berries and spice. And from Luvaira, planted in 1905 to the top of a hill in San Biagio della Cima, you’ll find a wine that shows Rossese’s red-fruited nature but with layers that unfurl with a powerful mineral streak from a site shielded from the salty winds of the Mediterranean. For a complete snapshot of Poggio Pini and Luvaira joined as one, look to the Dolceacqua Superiore DOC that comes from the youngest vines across the family’s oldest vineyards.

All harvesting at Tenuta Anfosso is done by hand, due to the inherent challenges of the dramatic terroir. All farming is done organically, thanks to the family’s everlasting dedication to the land. If ever you were interested in traveling back in time to the hillsides carving down to the Italian Riviera, these wines are a perfect opportunity to explore through the glass. Given that Alessandro and Marisa make less than 2,000 cases of wine in total, now is the time to discover these precious wines from a forgotten time.