The Val Polcevera

The hills surrounding Genoa were described in the seventeenth century as an "uninterrupted garden" by fascinated travelers: villas and monasteries surrounded by gardens and terraces on which where vineyards, orchards and orchards.
The Val Polcevera was already covered with extensive vineyards even then. Arranged orthogonally to the coast, as a clear separation between the Riviera di Ponente and the Riviera di Levante, it has always represented the most important communication route between Genoa and the Po Valley, crossed by a dense network of roads that always respected the dry stone walls of the best exposed terraced land .

View of the vineyard on the hills of Morego

Photo of the dry stone walls near the vineyard

The medium-high hill, characterized by a cooler climate than the coastal areas, was devoted to the grape production, especially the native Bianchetta Genovese and Vermentino, so much so that the hills of Val Polcevera over the years were covered with vineyards.

The "Fasce" terraced land and the dry stone walls: essential elements and techniques of Ligurian viticulture

The dry stone wall is a flexible structure that bears induced stress: it is the weight that binds the stones arranged vertically.
It stands up on its own without leaning on the ground behind it and without the use of any binder.
An art of building with medium-sized stones based on ancient practice, without written rules, which is handed down in the field between master and apprentice.

In order to ensure the hydrogeological stability of the entire slope over time, the total recovery of the ancient terraces and dry stone walls is essential: essential elements and techniques of Ligurian viticulture.
To maintain the color and characteristics of the wall, a meticulous search for experienced professionals was mede, and a careful selection of the quarries, when the stone found on site was not enough.