Lupi

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Lupi 2024 Pigato, Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC	Login	—	On Order
Lupi 2024 'Don Lisander' Vermentino, Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC	Login	—	On Order

Lupi is a wine of the mountains and the Mediterranean, rooted in the history and traditions of Liguria. The estate is part of the PEQ Agri project, led by cousins Marco Luzzati and Giorgio Guastalla, who are bringing new energy to historic vineyards and native grapes of western Liguria.

For those who remember Cascina Praié, there is an important connection. Lupi now manages several historic vineyard sites that were previously bottled by Cascina Praié. The label has changed, but the vineyards and their Ligurian heritage continue.

The story of Lupi goes back to the 1950s, when Tommaso Lupi and his sister Pina ran a bar and tavern in Oneglia in Imperia. The place became known for its local wines and eventually led Tommaso and his brother Angelo into winemaking. In the mid 1960s, they established a cantina in a former monastery dating back to around 1000 AD. They began as négociants, buying grapes from local growers, before acquiring vineyards of their own and building Lupi into a name associated with the wines of Liguria. The winery later passed to Tommaso’s son, Massimo. In 2021, Marco and Giorgio acquired Lupi and began the next chapter of the estate, with a focus on the vineyards, grapes and wines that make this corner of Liguria unique.

Today, Lupi farms approximately 10 hectares in the upper Arroscia Valley, with vineyards between 350 and 500 meters above sea level. The vines are primarily south facing and Guyot trained, with an average age of 25 years. The vineyards are planted to Pigato, Vermentino and Ormeasco di Pornassio (Dolcetto), the native grapes that define this inland part of Liguria. This is what makes Lupi interesting. These are not simply coastal Ligurian wines. They come from the mountain side of the region, where native grapes, older vineyards, altitude and a rugged landscape come together to produce wines with freshness, texture and a strong sense of place.

The Cascina Praié story isn't really gone. The vineyards and the tradition continue under the Lupi name, and that's the important connection for us to understand.