La Ricolla, natural wines from the Riviera di Levante

“But do you have the winemaker?”. To this question Daniele Parma

looks at me a little strangely, then arms himself with patience. We are standing in front of his vineyard of Bianchetta Genovese under the Fieschi Abbey in Cogorno, hinterland of Lavagna, Genoa province. “No, I have an agronomist though.”.

Gray skies, beginning to rain. The practice of biodynamics in the vineyard is an uphill race-mostly we talk about how difficult it is to maintain the vineyard, the explantations, the replantings. And the choice of varieties, which has to take into account an alarmingly changing climate and environment. Not to mention the wild boar problem.

Shortly before, in Sestri Levante, we visit another vineyard planted in Granaccia, which has been supplying the company’s red for a few years now: there we are struck by the sight of the complex system of electrified barriers guarding the rows of vines, suggesting a military scenario rather than an agricultural setting. When I ask him how much it costs to put up that ambaradan he glosses over the price per meter, but you can tell it’s not, shall we say, a cheerful subject.

La Ricolla, from father to son

La Ricolla (this is the name of the company) has a long, and curious, history, and deserves a mention. Mr. Parma senior, in the 1970s, started the enterprise distilling grappa and producing liqueurs. Vineyards came later, during the decades of the 1980s and 1990s La Ricolla distinguished itself by producing wines regularly registered with the so-called conventional oenology.

When daddy is gone, the young Daniele in the early 2000s took the reins and everything changed: today, saying Ricolla means saying natural wine from the Riviera di Levante, biodynamic precisely, and winemaking totally different from what old customers were used to. And because everything changes but something remains, Daniele’s bro, Simone, restarts the production of liquors but also those in its own way, showing extreme attention to the raw material and no sugaring, with a very sustained alcohol content that makes for impressive tasting: these are intense, delicious products. Now I would say to any insider: keep an eye on this parallel reality of the Parma family, because those who serve end-of-meal or mixed drinks will find exceptional ingredients here.

Back to the wines

But back to the wines: let’s go to the cellar, for a few tastings. First I have time to notice, among a’ amphora and the other, an array of concrete barrels Of various capacities. I, who remember visits here in prehistoric times, ask him: and where did these come from? Basically, he says, it’s a recovery: a company was divesting them and was almost delighted to find that madman picking them up, all of them, to refound his cellar.

The fool, that is, Daniel, now gives us a taste of something. But the notes that follow are actually from three different occasions that took place over a few days: a dinner in town, a winery visit and a review, Wine Revolution, held in Sestri Levante. Layered notes for wines that challenge those who fill out cards, wanting to fix something that tends to rebel against the pattern.

Read the tasting notes below and open a discussion.

For me, in conclusion, the impression is of wines of rebellious character and deep matter, which also find reason for being in pairing with food at the table, being of mighty gastronomic versatility. They are children of a perhaps unexpected Liguria, endowed with fullness and formidable longevity.

La Ricolla wines are distributed by Triple A: https://www.triplea.it/it/

TO READ THE WINE DESCRIPTIONS, WITH SCORE AND AVERAGE SHELF PRICE, CLICK ON THE TABS BELOW.