Liguria forms a narrow coastal strip in northwestern Italy, facing the Ligurian Sea. Its capital and largest city is Genoa (Genova). Tourists know Liguria as the Italian Riviera, famous for its beaches and the idyllic towns of Portofino and the Cinque Terre. In the wine world, Liguria is not well known outside the Riviera because its production is quite small, second least of the Italian regions. It has no DOCGs, eight DOCs (see map on this page), and four IGPs. In 2022, Liguria had a relatively low production from its 1,900 ha (4,700 acres) of vineyards at 72,700 hl (807,000 cases) of wine, almost 70% of it white. The region’s primary grape varieties are Vermentino (27%); Pigato, which is actually another biotype of Vermentino (15%); and Rossese (12%).
