Punta Crena Lumassina Frizzante 2024

The Ruffino family has cultivated grapes on the steep coastal slopes near Varigotti in Liguria for over 500 years. Their estate takes its name from a prominent rocky headland—Punta Crena—that juts into the Mediterranean at the village's edge. All vineyards sit within 1,200 meters of the sea, planted on ancient stone terraces at elevations reaching 350 meters above sea level.

These terrazzamenti represent traditional Ligurian viticulture at its most demanding. The precipitous terrain makes mechanization impossible; all work proceeds by hand, with grapes harvested into small baskets and carried down narrow paths to the cellar. This cellar, carved directly into the coastal rock, provides naturally cool conditions for winemaking and storage.

Punta Crena specializes in indigenous Ligurian varieties that few producers still cultivate. Beyond the better-known Pigato and Vermentino, the estate maintains plantings of Lumassina, Mataòssu, Rossese, Cruvin, and Barbarossa—grapes that might otherwise disappear from commercial production. Some Rossese Bianco vines on the property reach 170 years old and remain ungrafted on their original rootstock, a living connection to pre-phylloxera viticulture.

Winemaking follows natural wine principles. Fermentations proceed spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, and many wines bottle unfined, unfiltered, and without added sulfites. The estate avoids heavy-handed cellar manipulation, allowing grape character and coastal terroir to express themselves directly.

Beyond viticulture, the Ruffino family maintains thousand-year-old Taggiasca olive trees, producing olive oil alongside their wines. This polyculture reflects the traditional Ligurian approach to coastal farming, where vines, olives, and citrus trees share the terraced landscape.

The wines of Punta Crena capture Mediterranean character—saline minerality, herbal aromatics, bright acidity—while preserving varieties and farming traditions that have defined this stretch of the Italian Riviera for centuries.

Stretching along Italy's northwestern coast, Liguria forms a narrow crescent between the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps. The region extends from the French border near Ventimiglia to the Tuscan frontier, encompassing famous coastal destinations like the Cinque Terre, Portofino, and the Italian Riviera. This geographic compression—mountains meeting sea with little flat land between—defines both the landscape and the wines produced here.

Viticulture in Liguria dates to Etruscan times, with ancient stone terraces carved into steep hillsides still visible throughout the region. These terrazzamenti require entirely manual cultivation; tractors cannot navigate the precipitous slopes. Vineyards often sit within sight of the Mediterranean, some planted at elevations reaching 350-500 meters while remaining just hundreds of meters from the water. The combination of maritime influence, altitude, and rocky soils creates growing conditions found nowhere else in Italy.

Liguria divides into two primary zones: the Riviera di Ponente (western) and Riviera di Levante (eastern). Indigenous grape varieties dominate production, with Vermentino and its local variant Pigato leading white wine output. Lesser-known varieties like Lumassina, Bosco, Albarola, and Bianchetta Genovese contribute to the region's diversity. For reds, Rossese—particularly from Dolceacqua near the French border—produces the most recognized wines, while obscure varieties like Ormeasco and Ciliegiolo appear in smaller quantities.

The hallmarks of Ligurian wines are fragrant aromatics, bright acidity, and saline minerality reflecting the coastal terroir. Production remains small—Liguria ranks among Italy's least productive wine regions by volume—but quality-focused producers have gained international recognition for natural wine made from these hyper-local varieties.

Local cuisine pairs seamlessly with regional wines: pesto alla Genovese, focaccia, fresh seafood, and dishes featuring the prized Taggiasca olive all find natural partners in Liguria's crisp whites and light reds.