Liguria gets lots of love for its pesto, focaccia, colorful architecture, and exquisite beaches. On the global stage, though, the wines of Liguria are among some of Italy's most discreet – but they're no less noteworthy.  Liguria's most interesting wines are the whites, with the pleasant exception of Rossese di Dolceacqua, an elegant red produced near the French border.

Vermentino and Pigato are the most common local vines, while Bianchetta, Genoese, Cimixià, and Lumassina are among the most interesting indigenous grapes. The wines produced in and around the Cinque Terre are excellent, with vertiginous terraced vineyards that were mentioned in the works of 14th-century poet Francesco Petrarca. One of the most particular wines made here is Sciacchetrà, a rare passito made from Bosco, Albarola, and Vermentino grapes.