Bruna Pigato "Majé" '22

The wines of Liguria may lack notoriety, but they are among the greatest that are made in Italy. Liguria isn’t a large wine production zone, mostly because its terrain along the Italian Riviera offers little farmable land. As one of the most beautiful parts of Italy, there is a lot of tourism throughout the summer, which helps deplete much of the annual production. And because the majority of producers in Liguria have very little wine to sell, they also don’t have the ability to market the wines like producers in other regions in Italy.

Located in western Liguria in the Arroscia Valley, Bruna has been around for over 50 years. Riccardo Bruna mastered the steep terraces, carved out stone walled terraces, lined with local varietals like Pigato, Granaccia (a variant of Grenache) and Rossesse. Now his daughter, Francesca, and her husband Roberto are currently at the helms. The small estate is only 15 kilometers from the sea, a forceful influence that is not only breathtaking but captured in each wine. Bruna’s production is small and precious. Working with less than eight hectares of vineyards, they farm organically. 

Majé, in Ligurian dialect, references the stone terraces that line the hill of Garaxin, where this selection of Pigato comes from. Here, the steep vineyards are almost 300 meters high, with vines planted south-facing in limestone-rich soils along with white and blue clay, dense with fossils. This bottling captures youthful Pigato vines, preserving them in a similar manner by aging about five months in tank, on the lees. Pigato is a late-ripening variety, so by giving it southern exposure, the fruit becomes harmoniously ripe and fresh, balanced by brilliant acidity. 

Experience a true seaside wine, full of briny notes and bursts of citrus and fresh herbs. Pigato is a great variety to choose for any hard-to-pair vegetables, fried food, and fresh seafood. Make this your next sushi wine pairing.