The name Lvnae is inspired by the town of Luni, an ancient Etruscan and Greek port, consecrated to the goddess Selene by the Greeks (Luna, for the Romans). The first Luna settlement was founded by the Romans in 177 B.C. Lvnae Bosoni wine production is rooted in the ancient history of this land and its peoples, the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, from whom it has inherited a great winemaking tradition.
Liguria consists of a narrow strip that extends from the border with France to the northern part of Tuscany. Traversed by mountains (the Alps to the west and the Apennines to the east), the entire territory faces the Ligurian Sea. Although geographically part of northern Italy, it enjoys a temperate climate due to the influence of the sea. Genoa, the main city, is on the dividing line between the Riviera di Ponente and Riviera di Levante. Mountains and steep hills make up 70% of the territory, and there are only two plains: the Albenga plain in the Riviera di Ponente and the Magra plain in the Riviera di Levante. Around 70% of wine production is concentrated in the Magra plain in the province of La Spezia.
Notwithstanding the limited volume of production, Ligurian wines, especially the whites, are renowned for their elegance and freshness. The area of Colli di Luni is the easternmost corner of the region, lying between the Gulf of La Spezia and the Apuan Alps, only 7 miles from the sea as the crow flies. This privileged position provides a unique microclimate where the alternating action of the sea and mountain breezes, depending on whether it is day and night, creates the perfect conditions for cultivating vines and producing excellent wines.
View of the river Magra valley and the Colli di Luni that shows the variety of the features of the land: the sandy/alluvial soil of the valley and the meagre/dry soil of the hills. This allows us to produce wines with completely different characteristics. The composition of the soil is geologically very varied, rich skeletal soil of medium texture in the hills and foothills and clay silt in the plains. The marble of the Apuans, the olive groves, the Mediterranean scrub and the sea and the distinctive features and aromas of the land surrounding their vineyards.
With a total annual production of approx. 780,000 bottles, Cantine Lunae Bosoni currently represents the largest winery in Liguria, located in the easternmost corner of the region, bordering Tuscany. It was established by Paolo Bosoni in 1966 and today his children Diego and Debora continue to refine his work. The estate controls about 85 hectares on the plain around the ancient city of Luni and in the hills of Castelnuovo Magra and Ortonovo (50ha are family-owned, 15ha are long-term leases and the rest are local growers). The offerings revolve around a range of Vermetinos distinguished by selection of different vines, vineyard sites and vinification, all notable for their contemporary style. The red wines are fresh offerings of local varietals such as Massareta, Pollera Nera blended with Sangiovese, which is very widespread in the area due to the proximity to Tuscany (2 km only to the border).
It was decided to completely eliminate the use of herbicides and to use natural fertilizers. The grapes are harvested by hand in little crates. The time for harvesting depends on exposure and the strains cultivated, as well as on the basis of a series of analyses of the bunches and by tasting the grapes, which are then carefully selected.
A hundred and fifty small, local winemakers, working alongside the company’s technical staff every day, contribute their limited production, thereby maintaining the traditions and unique quality of the winemaking of our region. This collaboration has allowed Lvnae to reassess particularly fertile areas for vine cultivation, rediscover ancient, native vines with enormous potential and revitalise and encourage these small country businesses.
