Albenga. President Massimo Enrico represented Vite in Riviera at the 2026 Restaurant Day organized in Albenga by FIPE-Confcommercio Savona, bringing the voice of the producers of Western Liguria to a discussion dedicated to the relationship between cuisine and cellar, between the wine list and the identity of the territory.
An association born for the territory
In his speech, Enrico retraced the history of the association: «Vite in Riviera "It was founded in 2016 in the western Liguria region, from Savona to the French border, and brings together winemakers, wineries, and cellars in our area." Since 2016, the president recalled, the association has developed projects worth approximately €1,3 million, 70% of which were supported by the Liguria Region's PSR (Provincial Development Plan) and the remaining 30% by the companies themselves. These initiatives all have a single goal: to promote the region, its wine, and its culture.
The business is based on two pillars: participation in Vinitaly in Verona—"the most important global event for anyone who talks about wine"—and a widespread network of local businesses that have evolved and multiplied over the years.
"Vite in Riviera “in the Cellar”: when the chef meets the wine
Among the most significant projects, Enrico mentioned the format created before the pandemic at the headquarters of the Regional Wine Shop of Ortovero: "Vite in Riviera in the Cellar». A series of evenings in which starred chefs came from outside to cook with local products and wines from associated companies.
"After the first evening, all the subsequent ones—four or five throughout the year—were sold out," he said. "Already by the second year, the local press was dedicating its front page to the return of the Michelin-starred dinners." This response, according to the president, speaks more clearly than any statistic about the quality of the bond forged between wine production and fine dining.
The growth of companies and territorial identity
In recent years, Enrico explained, member companies have experienced significant growth: "in terms of production volume, market perception, and, above all, recognition of a territorial identity tied to the denomination that identifies our region." This growth parallels that of the restaurant industry, which has learned to view Western Italian wine as a strategic asset, no longer an afterthought.
A call to restaurants: "Ligurian wine makes headlines, as it does elsewhere."
The heart of the speech was a clear invitation to the restaurant world: give local wine the space it deserves on menus. "Ligurian wine must be present," Enrico emphasized, "but not marginally: it must be present in a concrete and strong way, as it is in Emilia, Tuscany, and Piedmont, where you sit down at the table, from a trattoria to a Michelin-starred restaurant, you open the first pages of the menu and start with the local sparkling wines, the important red wines, the distinctive white wines, and only then move on to a national and international overview."
A vision that, according to the president, is already taking shape: "This symbiosis between the world of wine and the world of restaurants, through a wine list conceived as a genuine, effective, and concrete proposal, has constantly grown and evolved."
The restaurant as a “gateway” to the cellars
For Enrico, the restaurant business represents a true driving force for Western wine: "It often happens that tourists and consumers come to the winery who discovered our wine by tasting it in the restaurant." It's a process that works when everyone plays their part: the restaurateur offers suggestions, the wine reflects the region, and the visitor continues their journey in the cellar.
On the subject of price, the president urged everyone to find a balance: "Price is certainly an important and fundamental factor, but everyone must also consider the economics of their own business; it's about finding the optimal balance between price and quality of a bottle that, after all, is offered and served in the restaurant."
The speech ended with a thank you to the public and the organizers of the Day, reiterating the desire to Vite in Riviera to continue working alongside local restaurants to jointly promote wine, cuisine, and the Ligurian Riviera.
