Along the Via Aurelia, from Bergeggi to the Gulf of Spotorno
Benvenuti al Food (and Wine) arrives in Spotorno, a true gem of the Western Ligurian Riviera in the province of Savona — an ancient seaside village that forms part of the Gulf of the Island together with Bergeggi, Vezzi Portio, and Noli.
Our destination is Cantina Sancio, located right here in Spotorno, on the hills above town, at Via Laiolo 73.
We recommend reaching it from Savona along the Aurelia road, so you can fully enjoy one of the most breathtaking stretches of coastline in Liguria. After passing Vado Ligure — the ancient Roman Vada Sabatia — and the beaches of Bergeggi, a small coastal municipality clinging to the hillside, the road winds through a few bends. Then, after a downhill curve, the island of Bergeggi suddenly appears: close, majestic, perpetually crowned by circling seagulls. It’s a sight that opens the heart, and the view widens to embrace the entire gulf of Spotorno, with the long Merello beach guiding you toward the village.
The landscape here is extraordinary. The island, which still preserves the ruins of an ancient Roman lighthouse at its summit, is part of a beautiful protected marine reserve. Just a few hundred meters from the coast, it is surrounded by deep waters rich in biodiversity. The beach is stunning, and the sea has a uniquely turquoise color. But Spotorno is not only about the sea — and we will discover this with Riccardo Sancio.
Cantina Sancio: Ligurian DOC wines between UNESCO terraces and the Mediterranean
Once in Spotorno, you must head uphill, leaving the last apartment buildings behind to find yourself among olive groves and patches of Mediterranean scrub. After a very short drive, you reach Cantina Sancio and its parking area overlooking the Mediterranean. From this commanding position — on the hillside next to the Bishop’s Castle of Spotorno, where locals once sought refuge from Saracen pirate raids — the Sancio family runs the farm that produces high‑quality DOC wines representing the best Ligurian tradition: Pigato, Vermentino, Rossese, and Lumassina. In short, the great classics — the true essence of Liguria.
These are wines of remarkable quality, pairing perfectly with the cuisine of this stretch of Riviera which, alongside seafood dishes made with local catch, also features a fragrant land‑based tradition: pesto, vegetable pies, frisceu, farinata, stuffed vegetables, pansoti.
From 500 to 45.000 bottles: one family, three generations, one choice
Here we meet Riccardo Sancio, a blend of passion, professionalism, and deep love for this land — a land that he and his family have enhanced over the years, even when many in Liguria were abandoning terraced fields to focus solely on seaside tourism. And it is precisely on these ancient dry‑stone terraces — recognized by UNESCO in 2019 as Intangible Cultural Heritage — that the Sancio vineyards stretch out like embroidery in the sun.
A glimpse into the winemaking process: the grapes are harvested by hand into ventilated crates and brought to the cellar as quickly as possible. After an initial visual inspection, they are weighed and transferred into tanks (cryo‑maceration for white grapes or red‑wine vinification) or into the press for gentle pressing (white vinification). Fermentation takes place in temperature‑controlled stainless‑steel tanks; for red wines, the cap is repeatedly broken up with pump‑overs and oxygenation. White wines are aged on their fine lees. Bottling is done on site with a nine‑spout FIMER bottling machine equipped with a vacuum system before corking.
And here is Rik Sancio, enthusiastically recounting the history of the winery:
“The roots of our vineyards sink into the soils of Cappellania, an area in the hills above Spotorno where, almost 50 years ago, my father Mario began tending the first vines and founded the first cellar dedicated to Pigato. Back then, in honor of the land itself, he named it Azienda Cappellania. A wine sales agent by profession, my father soon left his job to devote himself entirely — and passionately — to his own winery, driven by the desire to see it grow and mature.”
With the construction of the new cellar (about 300 m²) in 1995, the winery began acquiring its first equipment, including temperature‑controlled tanks for producing the beloved Pigato.
Riccardo continues: “Over the years, passion for wine, the experience we’ve gained, respect for the land, and the dedication of the people who work with us have allowed the winery to keep growing. In 2000, the company became SANCIO AZIENDA AGRICOLA, with about 6 hectares today hosting vineyards in some of the most scenic locations of our beautiful strip of land overlooking the sea: Spotorno, Vezzi San Giorgio, Orco Feglino, Finale Ligure, and Celle Ligure.
In 2006, the cellar expanded to 600 m². And then it was my turn — the moment to choose whether to follow in my father Mario’s footsteps or opt for the security of a stable office job, far removed from people and nature. Today I’m happy I chose the sound of my sea, my caruggi, the scents and voices of the land, and the open‑air work in my winery. From the first 500 bottles of Pigato produced by my father, today our family winery produces about 45.000 bottles.”
From these words, it’s clear that authentic passion is the true driving force behind great achievements — a passion supported by this unique environment and the special soils of these terraces carved from the mountainside.
The sea is always there beside you, with its scent, breezes, winds — sometimes stormy — and its salt brushing your skin.
Where vineyards or olive groves give way to native vegetation, the Mediterranean scrub bursts forth everywhere: lush myrtle, wild thyme, rosemary. And where trees can grow, you find Aleppo pines, holm oaks, and oaks. A true spectacle.
A Pigato for Gaslini Children's Hospital: when wine becomes solidarity
When two enthusiastic people meet — people who volunteer with genuine commitment — anything can happen. And so, with one of my labels and a great Sancio wine, the Pigato “Castellania” and thanks to the many who reserved this numbered bottle, selling it out in just a few days, an important project was born in support of Gaslininsieme, for the children’s hospital at the Gaslini Institute in Genoa.
Summer is approaching… and perhaps new ideas will be born.
Cantina Sancio
Via Laiolo 73 - 17028 Spotorno (SV) - Italy
+39 019 2217801
cantinasancio@libero.it
https://www.cantinasancio.it/
