Pigato from Liguria's Riviera di Ponente, Tasted at Vinitaly

Pigato is an indigenous white varietal grown in Liguria's Riviera di Ponente, and having said this there's not too much else to say. Antonio Piccinardi says it's a white varietal grown in the Province of Savona, that it is blended with other whites, and that if left to its own it gives high yields, while Nick Belfrage says its origin is uncertain, with some saying it's Greek, others that it was brought by the Romans, and others still that it's a relative of Vermentino, the theory he finds most likely, as the Bollettino Apeleografico of 1883 mentions a "Vermentino Pigato."

Of course in wine obscurity and quality are two very different things; Pigato is obscure because what little there is is mostly enjoyed locally. Should you come across a bottle, however, do consider it because it can be quite interesting, in a richer, fuller key than some of the other North Italian whites, and blessed with the capacity to age nicely for a number of years.

After tasting through Rossese di Dolceacua at the Regione Liguria's stand at Vinitaly, I asked if I could taste their Pigato as well, and they very kindly obliged.


Alessandri Massimo Vigne Veccie Pigato 2009

Pale brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with savory notes and some loquat fruit supported by pleasant underlying minerality. Nice balance and depth. On the palate it's bright, with lively loquat fruit supported by deft mineral acidity that gains depth from sea salt accents, and flows into a clean fairly bright mineral finish with slight hints of loquat. Pleasant and will work very well with grilled or roasted fish.
2 stars

Bianchi Maria Donata Pigato 2010

This is sealed with a glass stopper. It's pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fresh, and mineral, with some underlying heather; pleasant to sniff, and as it opens some savory accents also emerge. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich languid loquat fruit that came as a bit of a surprise, supported by deft loquat acidity and by slight savory accents that carry on at length. Pleasant, and will drink nicely with foods, something to consider if you rather a wine that's not really crisp.
2 stars

Azienda Agricola Bruna Majé Pigato 2010

Pale brassy gold with greenish highlights and brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is intense, with slightly brambly heather supported by some bitterness and hints of sea salt and minerality. On the palate it's bright, with richly savory minerality that flows into a warm savory mineral finish, and while it's quick to write it's also harmonious and quite pleasant to drink; it will also be quite versatile.
88-90

Azienda Agricola De Peri Pigato 2010

There's a large '10 on the label. Pale brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with heather and some herbal notes mingled with pleasant minerality and slight sea salt, and some underlying bitterness. Nice depth. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich minerality laced with slight bitter accents and hints of loquat that give way to bitterness with slight savory accents in the finish, while the minerality is a constant. Pleasant, and will drink quite well with simple fish.
2 stars

F.lli Gaiaudo Pigato 2010

Pale brassy white with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fresh, with sea salt and savory accents supporting minerality and some heather. On the palate it's fairly rich, and a bit sweeter than I expected, with bright loquat and honeydew melon fruit supported by mineral acidity and some greenish accents, and slightly peppery spice, and it flows into a clean rather bitter finish. It's straight forward, and a touch laxer than I might have liked -- the sweetness has an impact -- and will drink simply.
1 star

Azienda Agricola Fontanacota Pigato 2010

Brilliant brassy white with brassy reflections and some greenish highlights. The bouquet is mineral with some heather from a cut field and deft mineral acidity as well, and slight savory notes. On the palate it's bright, with rich rather savory acidity and underlying minerality that flow into a fairly long mineral finish with farirly bright but not overly tart acidity.
2 stars

Azienda Agricola Il Cascin Pigato 2010

Pale brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections. the bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some minerality and slight gunflint. Clearly developing. On the palate it's bright, with pleasant minerality and mineral acidity supported by slight savory accents as well, and it flows into a clean fairly savory mineral finish. Quite approachable, in a pleasantly crisp but not tremendously acidic key.
2 stars

La Ginestraia Via Maestra Pigato 2010

Brilliant brassy yellow with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up minerality and some berry savory notes, also slight white berry fruit. On the palate it's more languid than I had expected, with ample minerality that gains languor as a result of some sweetness, while there is also some spice. It's more reserved, and has a rather old feel to it somehow.
1 star

Laura Aschero Pigato 2010

Pale brassy green with brilliant brassy highlights and greenish reflections. The bouquet is pleasant with minerality and some savory notes mingled with gunflint; it gives an impression of crispness. On the palate it's bright, with moderately rich lemony fruit supported by languid glycerin and minerality with some gunflint accents that flow into a pleasantly mineral finish with savory underpinning. Versatile, and will be quite nice in the summer months.
84-6

Lupi Pigato 2010

Bright brassy white with brassy reflections and slight greenish reflections. the bouquet is muted, with moderate minerality supported by heather and some bitterness. On the palate it's fairly rich, with minerality laced with some savory accents and a certain duskiness, bit not much acidity, and to be frank I'd have liked a little more.
1 star

Podere Grecale Pigato 2010

Brassy white with greenish highlights and bright brassy reflections. The bouquet is fresh, with pleasant minerality and some gunflint supported by heather from a cut field; it's quite linear. On the palate it's fairly rich, with warm sour lemon fruit supported by sea salt and loquat acidity, and by a fair amount of warmth too, and it flows into a warm savory tart finish. Approachable and will be a good summer food wine, though it is slightly coarser than some.
2 stars

Poggio dei Gorleri Cygnus Pigato 2010

Pale brassy white with greenish highlights and brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is moderately intense, with some loquat fruit supported by minerality and slight brambly accents mingled with heather and some gunflint bitterness. On the palate it's fairly rich, and more savory than I had expected with savory minerality more than fruit supported by mineral acidity and by savory notes that continue into the finish. It's a trifle lax, but the savory accents are pleasant, and it displays a certain fairly simple grace.
1 star

Ramoino Fabiana Pigato 2010

Brassy yellow with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some heather and deft mineral notes. On the palate it's crisp, with pleasant minerality supported by mineral acidity and slight sea salt, flowing into a fairly long very mineral finish, which does however have a slight languor to it.
2 stars

Specchio di Vitae O Mai Bén Pigato 2010

Pale brassy white with brassy reflections and slight greenish highlights. The bouquet is somewhat duskier than some, with brooding minerality and light bitter accents supported by hints of gunflint and savory spice. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich minerality laced with tropical fruit and supported by slight savory accents that flow into a clean fairly rich finish. A bit fuller than some, and with somewhat more glycerin perhaps. More languid.
2 stars

Tenuta Maffone Pigato 2010

Brassy white with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with fairly rich bitter minerality supported by slight sea salt and hints of hardwood ash, while there is also very slight honeysuckle to balance it. On the palate it's ample and mineral, with minerality more than acidity carrying the show, and it flows into a clean fairly soft finish. Soft overall, and it's a wine that won't work for you if you prefer more lively acidities, though it does have an underlying warmth that carries into the finish.
1 star

Azienda Agricola Terre Bianche Pigato 2010

Brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is deft, with minerality and some heather supported by slight gunflint. On the palate it's bright, with fairy rich loquat fruit supported by warm loquat acidity and some greenish vegetal accents that provide depth, while there is also some sea salt, and it flows into a clean savory sour loquat finish. Nice crispness and quite approachable.
88-90

VisAmoris Vigna Dormé Pigato 2010

Brassy greenish white with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is moderately intense and rather mineral, with some greenish spice as well; nice depth and balance. On the palate it's bright and mineral, with fairly rich minerality and pleasant mineral-citric acidity that gain depth from some sea salt, and flow into a clean rather savory finish. Graceful, and will be quite versatile too.
88-90