Region: Liguria
History: Established as a DOC in 1988
Principal White Grape Varieties: Moscato, Pigato, Vermentino
Principal Red Grape Varieties: Alicante, Rossese
Styles and Wine Composition:
WHITE WINES
- Moscato or, in the subzone Taggia only, Moscatello (Wh, WhFrSw): 100% Moscato Bianco
- Pigato (Wh): Minimum 95% Pigato + OANWG
- Vermentino (Wh): Minimum 95% Vermentino + OANWG
- Superiore (Pigato, Vermentino)
RED WINES
- Granaccia (Rd): Minimum 90% Alicante (locally Granaccia) + OANRG
- Rossese (Rd): Minimum 90% Rossese + OANRG
- Superiore (Granaccia)
DESSERT AND SPECIALTY WINES
- Vendemmia Tardiva (WhSw): 100% Moscato Bianco
- Varietal Passito (WhSw or RdSw): Same as Moscato, Pigato, Vermentino, Granaccia, or Rossese
- Passito Liquoroso (WhFoSw): Not specified in disciplinare; presumably the same as any of the varietal passitos
Subzones:
- Albenganese (Pigato, Vermentino, and Rossese only)
- Finalese (Pigato, Vermentino, and Rossese only)
- Quiliano (Granaccia only)
- Riviera dei Fiori (Pigato, Vermentino, and Rossese only)
- Taggia (Moscatello, Vendemmia Tardiva, and Passito only)
Significant Production Rules:
- Grapes for Passito must be dried on or off the vine to achieve a minimum sugar level of 260 g/l (26.0%)
- Minimum alcohol level (non-subzone): 5.0% for Moscato frizzante (10.5% potential); 10.5% for Moscato tranquillo; 11.0% for Pigato, Vermentino, Granaccia, and Rossese; 11.5% for Vendemmia Tardiva (14.5% potential); 12.5% for Passito (16.5% potential); 13.0% for Superiore
- Minimum alcohol level (subzones): 11.0% for Taggia Moscatello; 11.5% for Albenganese, Finalese, and Riviera dei Fiori varietals; 11.5% for Taggia Vendemmia Tardiva (14.5% potential); 12.0% for Quiliano Granaccia
- Aging: For Passito, minimum approx. 8–10 months (ERD = November 1, V+1); for Passito Liquoroso, minimum 12 months (ERD = January 1, V+2)
