With PEQ Agri's wine project, Marco Luzzati and Giorgio Guastalla made the peculiar decision from the very beginning to make wine separately from each vineyard, creating numerous labels of “cru” wines, even of the same grape variety, to represent in its entire plurality the extraordinary wine-making power of the territory. But this is just the premise: we tell you in detail about their vision and their bottles.
The story
Marco Luzzati and Giorgio Guastalla, entrepreneurs with a forward-looking and out-of-the-box vision, in just four years have created an important business and landmark in a region that is not as simple as Liguria, putting together an entrepreneurial idea of integrating agricultural, hospitality and catering activities that is embodied in a name: PEQ Agri. The acronym stands for Passion, Excellence and Quality and, as we have already had the opportunity to tell, it translates into 200 hectares of land (destined to grow), a farm, an artisanal laboratory for processing products and three restaurants.
The one we want to focus on today is the wine reality because it represents a virtuous example of the valorization of an indigenous viticulture that covers practically every type of oenological product. In fact, after acquiring important historical brands and integrating them into Cantina Lupi, but above all having restored and given new life to land once cultivated with vines but later abandoned and left to neglect, the company seems to have clear ideas and is implementing a real revolution in the Ligurian wine sector. The Lupi Winery of PEQ Agri therefore cultivates and produces today all the main doc wines of western Liguria.
Cantina Lupi Winery
With about 23 hectares under cultivation, Cantina Lupi takes care of its entire winemaking chain, producing wine at its two historic wineries in Colla Micheri, in Andora, and Pieve di Teco, inland from Imperia. The land allocated to vineyards is divided into just over ten plots. Given the very strong biodiversity that characterizes the area, with different exposures, different soil compositions (even a short distance apart), unique microclimates and fauna, Marco and Giorgio immediately made the peculiar decision to vinify each vineyard separately, creating numerous labels of “cru” wines, even of the same grape variety, to represent in its entire plurality and diversity the extraordinary oenological power of the territory and to tell its story through wine.
Pigato
A very interesting example of this unique strategy is Pigato, certainly the most representative AOC of Ponente Ligure, which Cantina Lupi vinifies with no less than five labels that represent and testify to the unique characteristics of the vineyards of Balestrino (Pigato Campulou), Testico, where the vines are located at an altitude of 500 meters and on a volcanic vein (Pigato Canneto), as well as Albenga (Pigato Lupi, Pigato Petraie and the renowned Vignamare). The three Albenga vineyards, although close to each other, are in fact characterized by peculiarities and diversity that result in three labels.
The Vignamare vineyard fully illustrates this choice: it is located on red clay soil, in Albenga, and more precisely in the Salea area, the birthplace of Pigato. Pigato Vignamare, now in its XXXI edition, is the result of the collaboration between the founder of the winery of the same name, Tommaso Lupi, and the then young, but world-renowned expert winemaker, Donato Lanati, who together developed this precious and highly successful product. After a very long vinification, of about three years, Vignamare, as we have already mentioned, is able to age very well. This is evidenced by the fact that in the restaurant of the same name, a Michelin red and green star, led by Giorgio Servetto, the wine list includes many vintages, starting with the surprising 2009, which still reveals a remarkable freshness when tasted.
Cantina Lupi's other wines
The numerous Pigato labels, however, are only one of many examples of a clear business strategy and its results. Three Vermentini, two Rossese, four Ormeasco, one Lumassina and one Granaccia are all expressions and narratives in the glass of the immense effort to enhance and tell the story of its territory. Cantina Lupi, although strongly anchored in the traditions and influences of its wine-making history, has nonetheless embarked on a path marked by research and the development of new references. One example of this is the sparkling wine project with an ambitious idea: to vinify Rossese grapes in white and create a blanc de noir that would best represent this ancient Ligurian grape variety. The result is an excellent bubbly pas dosé that boasts 31 months of aging, Cervoclassico extra brut, a wine of great worth, flanked by a Martinotti method (woe betide calling it Charmat, for Marco!) with six months of aging, based on the same grape variety.
Winemaking decisions are coordinated with the young Alex Berriolo, a professional already active at Casa Lupi, who provides the needed continuity guarantee with history. Ormeasco di Pornassio, on the other hand, is a small, interesting doc, best represented in its expressions: ruby red when vinified in red and coral pink when vinified in white (sciac-trà). Its vineyards are located at 550 meters above sea level in the most vocated area and come from the ancient estates of the Scarella Marquisate in Pornassio. Noteworthy is the Sciac-Trà, an Italian-style rosé vinified with the bloodletting born by inland farmers.
Finally, Berry&Berry is the result of the innovative ideas of winemaker Alex Berriolo, nicknamed precisely Berry, who in 2010 began making wine from grapes from the land his family has been cultivating for three generations now. Acquired in 2024 by PEQ Agri, this winery produces five sui generis labels, so much so that they do not fall under any appellation and are in fact true (successful) oenological experiments that are the result of blending and winemaking taken to the limit and beyond. The Baitinìn, which owes its name to Demicheri Battina, a winemaker in Balestrino and an early 20th-century ancestor, from white from Pigato and Vermentino in varying percentages depending on the vintage, from the vineyards of Albenga and Tovo San Giacomo, is worth tasting. A riot of fruity and spicy aromas, with a very pleasant salty background note. And this seems to be just the beginning.
Contact
Via Terra Molino, 25, 17020 Tovo San Giacomo SV
