Imagine: a secret bottle kept in the cave for years (sometimes more than 30). It’s the rich and velvety wine called sciacchetrà. This aged treasure resurges in occasion of a wedding as the greatest gift that the family of the groom could offer to the bride’s family. I had the privilege of opening a bottle than was more than 10 years old. It reminded me of a rich passito straw wine, sweet and liqueur-like.
The color is intense: from golden shades to amber. The taste is a fruity, floral bouquet that reminds of a Mediterranean garden: scents of nuts, apricot jam, nectarine, vanilla, chestnut honey and spices.
Where can you drink the best sciacchetra’?
Cinque Terre, a piece of the Ligurian coastline, just West of the border with Tuscany. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are five multi-colored borghi (villages) overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.They are pretty close to each other, a few minutes distance by car or train. Better yet, a boat will take you back and forth, making an unforgettable five stop mini cruise. If you like to hike, you can also reach them via a beautiful trail and enjoy spectacular sea views.

Spectacular from the terrace at La Torretta Guesthouse  www.torrettas.com