Colli di Luni is a DOC title for red and white wines from the coastal hills around Massa and La Spezia, north-western Italy. Everything about the Colli di Luni represents the transition between Liguria and Tuscany – the geography, the grape varieties, the wine styles.
Of Italy's 425-or-so appellations (DOCG, DOC and IGT), only 15 cross over from one administrative region to the next. Colli di Luni is one of these; although the majority of its vineyards are in south-eastern Liguria, those in the towns of Fosdinovo, Aulla and Podenzana (north-western Tuscany) may also claim the appellation.
The name Colli di Luni is often translated as 'hills of the moon', but this is only indirectly true. In fact it refers to Luna – the name given to this area by the Romans. Quite why the name Luna was chosen remains a topic of debate, but there is a clear connection with the moon in every proposed etymology, be it via the local crescent-shaped harbor, the moon Goddess Luna for whom the settlement might have been named, or the distinctive white and blue-grey Carrara marble which is quarried in the hills above. Looking at the gleaming white hills from afar, their resemblance to the moon is clear.
The key red-wine grape here is Tuscany's principal red-wine grape Sangiovese, which forms the base (at least 50%) of any Colli di Luni rosso. A number of local varieties add their own unique twist to these blend, notably Canaiolo, Pollera Nera and Ciliegiolo. The little-known Barsaglina, a local variety with particularly dark skins, is used to bring depth of color to the local reds; Sangiovese, for all its merits, is not well furnished in the color department.
For the white wines made under this title, Vermentino and Trebbiano are the go-to grapes. Together the pair make medium-structured blends sold as Colli di Luni Bianco, wines which bear strong similarities to the whites of Montecarlo and Bolgheri just down the Tuscan coast. Of these two varieties, Vermentino has proved by far the most popular here – some of Liguria's most successful wines are varietal Colli di Luni Vermentino, which are an excellent match for the local cuisine, especially the testaroli (wholemeal dumplings with pesto).
Vermentinos from the Colli di Luni are typically less herbaceous than those from further north in Liguria but are rarely as rich and floral as those from Sardinia (particularly Vermentino di Gallura). They are most often medium-bodied, with aromas of basil and sage and a hint of almonds on the finish.
Although Albarola may also be used varietally here, it is relatively rare. This quintessentially Ligurian variety is much better known for its role in the white wines of neighboring Cinque Terre.
