Maccario

The Maccario Dringenberg winery is located in San Biagio della Cima, a small village in the province of Imperia, characterized by narrow alleys and steep stairways that make motorized vehicle transit nearly impossible. The small family-owned winery is situated right in the heart of this village, necessitating the manual transport of grapes for winemaking. All vineyard work is also done manually, not only because the Provençal-style bush-trained vines are planted on steep terraces where mechanical equipment is practically unfeasible but also because the 2.5 hectares of vineyards are divided into several small plots.

The owner of the winery is Giovanna Maccario, who, as a young architecture graduate from the Polytechnic University of Milan, took over the family’s historic estate in 1991 following the untimely death of her father. The estate dates back to the 1800s. Today, she is supported by her husband, Goetz Dringenberg, whom she met during a vacation on the Ligurian Riviera. He decided to share his life with her, leaving behind his native Munich, Germany. Thus began the extraordinary journey of the Maccario Dringenberg winery: a story of great passion, unconditional love for their work, and a spirit of sacrifice, as everything in this beautiful but rugged land is challenging and demands hard work.

We are in the far western part of Liguria, bordering the rich Occitan tradition, where the vineyards rest on sandstone-limestone soils or solidified clays that, when exposed to the elements, crumble into flakes and small pieces. The pride of the winery is the Luvaira cru of Rossese di Dolceacqua, where century-old vines yield excellent grapes. Among the finest and most characteristic Italian red wines is undoubtedly the Rossese di Dolceacqua Superiore “Posau,” which has made the Maccario Dringenberg winery famous among wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs.