Vernazza Terraced Vineyards & Sciacchetrà Wine
The vertiginous dry-stone terraces that climb the hillsides above Vernazza have been hand-cultivated for over a thousand years and are now a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. The native Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino grapes grown here produce Cinque Terre DOC white wine — and the ultra-rare, amber-coloured Sciacchetrà passito dessert wine.
Walking the Vineyard Paths
The network of dry-stone terrace walls in the Cinque Terre totals an estimated 7,000 kilometres — more than the Great Wall of China. You can walk directly into the vineyards above Vernazza by taking the unmarked mule track (mulattiera) that branches off the Sentiero Azzurro about 10 minutes south of the village toward Corniglia.
The terraces are private agricultural land but the paths between them are traditional rights-of-way. Walk quietly, stay on the path, and do not touch the vines. In late September and early October the harvest (vendemmia) is underway and you may see local families carrying grape-filled baskets down the steep slopes by hand.
Tasting Sciacchetrà in Vernazza
Sciacchetrà is made from late-harvested grapes that are dried on racks for two to three months before pressing, concentrating the sugars into a wine of extraordinary intensity — notes of dried apricot, honey, toasted almond and sea salt. Production is tiny (under 20,000 bottles a year across all five villages) and prices reflect the scarcity.
In Vernazza, look for Cantina del Molo, a small wine shop near the harbour that stocks local producers including Buranco and Forlini Cappellini. A 100ml tasting pour of Sciacchetrà costs around €8–12; a 375ml bottle runs €25–45. It pairs magnificently with aged Parmigiano Reggiano or Ligurian focaccia col formaggio.
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