Sestri Levante Wine Tasting: 5 Vinaccieri Wines & Food

Five wines, five stories: Vermentino to Malvasia, each one paired with something made here

A 90-minute wine tasting in Sestri Levante led by a professional sommelier through five reserve wines from Vinaccieri Ballerini, each paired with local Ligurian food. You choose between appetizers (cheeses, cold cuts, bruschetta, pies and cookies) or a full meal that adds lasagna, fried fish tapas and tiramisù. The tasting happens at the winery and includes wines made from Vermentino, Traminer, Granaccia, Pinot Noir and Malvasia grapes.

The Experience

The tasting opens with Navigato Bianco, a dry Vermentino that tastes like the coast around Sestri Levante itself. From there a sommelier walks you through four more wines — Tram (a Vermentino-Traminer blend), Terranova (a red made partly from dried grapes in an Amarone style), Kava (a sparkling wine aged 36 months and matured in copper mines), and Alea (a Sicilian Malvasia). Each one arrives with food made in the kitchen or sourced from producers in the valleys and towns around here: Val di Vara cheeses, Sant'Olcese salami, Tassani honey, bruschetta with salted anchovies from Sestri, the Preve (a chard pie), rice pie, and cookies from Galletti's pastry shop in Favale di Malvaro.

The two options let you shape the meal. The Appetizers version stays with what you'd call a refined introduction — the wines, the cold cuts and cheeses, the pies and bruschetta, honey and cookies. The Food version keeps all of that and adds Tabarchine-style lasagna (tomato, béchamel, pesto and tuna), crispy fried fish tapas, and a tiramisù made by Loli Linguanotto. The whole thing runs 90 minutes and a professional sommelier leads it in English, Spanish, Italian, French or other languages.

The winery is wheelchair accessible and all surfaces are level. Infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller, and service animals are welcome. Public transportation options are nearby if you're not driving. Anyone under 18 cannot participate due to Italian alcohol regulations.

What’s included

• Five Vinaccieri Ballerini reserve wines (Navigato Bianco, Tram, Terranova, Kava and Alea).
• a sommelier-led tasting in your choice of language.
• Ligurian cheeses and cold cuts, bruschetta with salted anchovies, the Preve chard pie, rice pie, Tassani honey and Galletti cookies on both options.
• Tabarchine-style lasagna, fried fish tapas and tiramisù on the Full & Food option.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by LA SCIAMADDA DEI VINACCIERI - PESTO EXPERIENCE - CORSI DI CUCINA LIGURE - DEGUSTAZIONI DI VINO

Is this one for you?Book the Full & Appetizers if you want to taste the wines and get a sense of Ligurian flavors without a heavy meal; choose Full & Food if you're hungry and want the complete gastronomic experience, with lasagna, fried fish and tiramisù alongside the wines.

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Top questions

What are the five wines I'll taste at Vinaccieri Ballerini?

Navigato Bianco (Vermentino), Tram (Vermentino and Traminer Aromatico blend), Terranova (a red with Granaccia, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese), Kava (a Brut sparkling wine aged 36 months on the lees and matured 12 months in copper mines), and Alea (a Sicilian Malvasia). Each wine is paired with food made locally or sourced from Ligurian producers.

What's the difference between the Full & Appetizers and Full & Food options?

Full & Appetizers includes the five wines paired with Ligurian cheeses, cold cuts, bruschetta, the Preve chard pie, rice pie, honey and Galletti cookies. Full & Food keeps everything and adds Tabarchine-style lasagna, crispy fried fish tapas and homemade tiramisù. Both run 90 minutes with a sommelier.

Is this tasting wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces at the winery are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible as well. Infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

What languages does the sommelier speak?

The sommelier leads the tasting in English, Spanish, Italian, French and additional languages. You can request your preferred language when you book.

Can I bring children under 18?

No. Italian law prohibits anyone under 18 from participating in wine tastings, even if they don't drink. This is a legal requirement for all wine experiences in Italy.

How long does the tasting take?

The tasting runs 90 minutes from start to finish, including all five wines and the food pairings you choose.