The Mediterranean Balcony & the Mistral's Edge
Tenuta Selvadolce is a rare example of biodynamic viticulture on the Ligurian Riviera — a seven-hectare estate perched on the hills above Bordighera, where the French border is less than twenty kilometres away and the Mediterranean stretches to the horizon. Founded in 2004 by Aris Blancardi, who returned to his family's agricultural roots after a background in the flower business, the estate is a concentration of pure Ligurian identity: dry-stone walls, ancient olive trees, sandy soils, and indigenous varieties that have existed in this coastal strip for centuries. Vermentino, Pigato (planted by Aris's grandfather), and Rossese (planted at 600 metres in the hinterland toward Dolceacqua) are farmed biodynamically, vinified with indigenous yeasts, and aged in concrete. The labels are designed by the artist Sergio Lazzaretti. Only around 10,000 bottles are produced each year. As Aris puts it: how could you make bad wine from a place like this?
Aris Blancardi & the Flower Business
The story of Tenuta Selvadolce begins with a return. Aris Blancardi — the estate's founder and vigneron — did not come from a long line of winemakers in the traditional sense. His family was in the flower business, one of the agricultural trades that has defined the Ligurian coast alongside olives, citrus, and vines. But Aris carried a progressive, environmentalist spirit — an animo progressista e ambientalista, as those who know him describe it — and a conviction that the land above Bordighera, with its panoramic views of the Mediterranean and its proximity to the French border, was capable of producing wines that spoke with a voice unlike any other in Italy.
In 2004, Aris founded Tenuta Selvadolce on approximately seven hectares of hillside land in one of the most panoramic and evocative zones of the Bordighera heights — le alture di Bordighera. The estate overlooks the sea of the extreme western Ligurian coast, affacciata sul mare dell'estremo ponente ligure, where the Riviera's hot sun is mitigated by a constant maritime breeze. The name Selvadolce — "sweet forest" or "pleasant woodland" — evokes the wild, aromatic vegetation that covers these hills: lavender, thyme, rosemary, and the maquis scrub that gives the wines their unmistakable herbal, resinous character. Aris set about transforming the property into a biodynamic farm, planting and preserving indigenous varieties that had nearly disappeared from the region.
The Pigato vines were planted by Aris's grandfather — a living connection to three generations of agricultural memory. The Rossese was planted at 600 metres altitude in the hinterland toward Dolceacqua, on sandy soils that give the variety the concentration and acidity it needs to avoid the dilution that plagues lower-elevation plantings. The Vermentino, Granaccia, and Ormeasco complete a portfolio of varieties that are native to this narrow coastal strip, muscolose e delicate — muscular and delicate — shaped by the struggle of sandy soils and the discipline of the Mistral wind. Aris's approach from the beginning was biodynamic and natural: no synthetic chemicals, no herbicides, no industrial fertilisers. The vineyard was conceived as a living organism, integrated with the surrounding forest and the ancient olive trees that dot the property.
The estate remains tiny — only around 10,000 bottles are crafted each year — and Aris oversees every aspect of production himself, from the vineyard to the cellar to the labels, which are designed by the artist Sergio Lazzaretti. The labels are as distinctive as the wines: colourful, expressive, and deeply Ligurian, reflecting the artistic and cultural milieu of a region that has always been a crossroads between Italy and France, between the mountains and the sea. Tenuta Selvadolce is not merely a winery; it is a declaration of Ligurian identity in an age of global homogenisation — a proof that the extreme western edge of Italy, often overlooked in favour of Tuscany or Piedmont, possesses terroirs of genuine character and varieties of ancient lineage that deserve to be preserved, celebrated, and drunk.
"How could you make bad wine from a place like this?"
— Aris Blancardi
Bordighera & the Ligurian Ponente
Bordighera sits on the extreme western edge of the Ligurian Riviera, a few kilometres from the French border — less than twenty kilometres from Menton and the Côte d'Azur. It is a town of palm trees, pastel-coloured villas, and gardens that have inspired painters from Monet to Matisse, who came here seeking the light that bounces between the Mediterranean and the Maritime Alps. But above the town, on the first hills — sulle prime colline — the landscape changes. The gardens give way to dry-stone walls, ancient olive trees, and vineyards that cling to sandy slopes buffeted by the Mistral wind. It is here, in this transitional zone between the cultivated coast and the wild interior, that Tenuta Selvadolce makes its home.
The estate spans approximately seven hectares across several parcels, each with a distinct exposure and elevation. The lower vineyards, near the estate buildings, are planted with Vermentino and Pigato on sandy soils that drain rapidly and reflect the sun's heat back onto the vines, encouraging ripening while preserving acidity through the cooling maritime breeze. The higher parcels, reaching toward the hinterland and Dolceacqua, are planted with Rossese at 600 metres above sea level — an altitude that is exceptional for Ligurian viticulture and that gives the Rossese a concentration, a freshness, and a tannic structure that lower-elevation plantings cannot match. The sandy soils — poor in organic matter, rich in quartz and silica — force the vines to struggle, producing small berries with thick skins and intense flavours.
The climate is Mediterranean, moderated by the sea but disciplined by the Mistral — the powerful north-westerly wind that sweeps down the Rhône valley and crashes against the Ligurian coast, clearing humidity, drying the vines, and preventing the fungal diseases that plague more sheltered regions. The hot sun of the Riviera is mitigated by this constant ventilation, creating conditions that are favourable for organic and biodynamic viticulture: low humidity, good air circulation, and enough stress to produce concentrated fruit without the extremes that demand chemical intervention. The proximity to the sea also imparts a saline character to the wines — a subtle, mouth-watering minerality that is the hallmark of great coastal viticulture from Santorini to Sicily to the Bassin d'Arcachon.
Viticulture is biodynamic, organic, and natural — though the estate carries no formal certification, the practices exceed most certified estates. No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers are used. The soil is worked manually or with light machinery; cover crops and wildflowers grow between the rows, supporting beneficial insects and microbial life. The ancient olive trees that dot the property are preserved as part of the polycultural ecosystem, providing shade, biodiversity, and the estate's own olive oil. The dry-stone walls — muretti a secco — that terrace the vineyards are maintained using traditional techniques, preventing erosion and creating habitat for lizards, birds, and the aromatic herbs that define the garrigue. This is not merely sustainable agriculture; it is a form of landscape preservation that keeps alive a way of farming that has characterised the Ligurian hills for millennia.
Tenuta Selvadolce sits on approximately seven hectares in one of the most panoramic zones of the Bordighera heights, overlooking the Mediterranean a few kilometres from the French border. Founded in 2004 by Aris Blancardi, who returned to his family's agricultural roots with a progressive, environmentalist spirit. The estate is a concentration of pure Ligurian identity: dry-stone walls, ancient olive trees, sandy soils, and indigenous varieties. Only around 10,000 bottles produced annually. Labels designed by artist Sergio Lazzaretti.
The vineyards sit on sandy soils — poor in organic matter, rich in quartz and silica, draining rapidly and reflecting heat back onto the vines. The Mistral wind sweeps down from the north-west, clearing humidity, drying the vines, and preventing fungal disease. The proximity to the sea imparts a saline character to the wines. The lower parcels are planted with Vermentino and Pigato; the higher parcels, at 600 metres toward Dolceacqua, carry Rossese on sandy slopes that give the variety concentration and acidity. A terroir of wind, sand, and salt.
Effectively biodynamic, organic, and natural in practice, though not formally certified. No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers. Soil worked manually or with light machinery. Cover crops and wildflowers encouraged between rows. Ancient olive trees preserved as part of the polycultural ecosystem. Dry-stone walls maintained using traditional techniques, preventing erosion and creating habitat for wildlife. The vineyard is conceived as a living organism integrated with the surrounding forest. A form of landscape preservation as much as viticulture.
The Pigato vines were planted by Aris's grandfather — a living connection to three generations of agricultural memory. Pigato, a biotype of Vermentino unique to Liguria, thrives on the sandy coastal soils, producing wines of citrus, almond, and saline intensity. The Rossese was planted at 600 metres altitude toward Dolceacqua — an exceptional elevation for Ligurian viticulture that gives the variety a concentration, freshness, and tannic structure unavailable at lower elevations. The Granaccia and Ormeasso complete the portfolio of indigenous varieties that have defined this coastal strip for centuries. A vineyard of lineage and altitude.
Indigenous Yeasts & the Concrete Rest
The winemaking philosophy at Tenuta Selvadolce is governed by minimalism, patience, and an absolute respect for the raw materials that the biodynamic vineyard provides. Aris Blancardi is not a technician who imposes recipes on his wines; he is a listener who allows the grapes to become what they are. The cellar is small, integrated with the hillside farm, and equipped with concrete tanks — cuve in cemento — that provide the ideal environment for fermentation and ageing: thermal stability, neutral flavour, and a gentle, continuous micro-oxygenation that rounds the wines without the aromatic intrusion of wood.
All fermentations occur spontaneously, thanks to indigenous yeasts that live on the grape skins and in the vineyard environment. Aris does not inoculate with commercial strains; he trusts the microbial biodiversity of his biodynamic farm to carry out the transformation from must to wine. This is a slower, riskier approach than industrial winemaking — spontaneous fermentations can stall, can produce off-aromas, can behave unpredictably — but it is the only approach that produces wines that taste unmistakably of their place. The concrete tanks help stabilise temperature during fermentation, preventing the violent heat spikes that can kill indigenous yeasts and produce cooked flavours.
The white wines — Vermentino, Pigato, and their blends — are gently pressed and fermented in concrete, then aged on fine lees for several months to develop texture and complexity. The contact with lees — the spent yeast cells that settle after fermentation — gives the wines a creamy, almost unctuous mouthfeel and a subtle brioche note that complements the citrus and saline characters of the varieties. There is no batonnage (stirring of lees) to order; Aris judges by taste when the wine has extracted enough from its sediment. The red wines — Rossese, Granaccia, and Ormeasco — undergo a brief maceration on skins to extract colour and tannin without losing the delicacy that defines Ligurian reds. Some lots see extended skin contact, producing amber or orange wines that challenge the conventional colour categories of Italian viticulture.
The finishing practices are equally restrained. There is no filtration, which would strip away the natural textures and microbial life that give the wines their energy and their capacity to evolve in bottle. There is no fining with animal products — the wines are vegan-friendly — and no chemical stabilisation. Sulphur is used sparingly, if at all; many cuvées receive none. The wines are bottled by gravity, often with a slight natural haze, and they are meant to be drunk with food — with the Ligurian specialities that have accompanied these varieties for centuries: trofie al pesto, grilled fish, farinata, and anchovies. The result is a portfolio of wines that are unmistakably Mediterranean: saline, herbal, sun-drenched, and alive.
The Sergio Lazzaretti Labels & the Art of Liguria
The labels of Tenuta Selvadolce are not afterthoughts; they are integral to the estate's identity. Designed by the artist Sergio Lazzaretti, they are colourful, expressive, and deeply rooted in the artistic traditions of the Ligurian coast — a region that has inspired Monet, Matisse, and generations of painters drawn to the interplay of Mediterranean light and Maritime Alpine shadow. The labels reflect the same progressive, environmentalist spirit that drives Aris's viticulture: they are playful yet serious, local yet universal, and they stand out on the shelf as boldly as the wines stand out in the glass. In an era of minimalist, monochrome natural wine labels, Selvadolce's bottles are a riot of colour and personality — a visual declaration that this is a wine made by an artist as much as by a vigneron, and that the boundary between agriculture and art is thinner than the conventional wine industry would have us believe.
The Portfolio & the Cuvées
Tenuta Selvadolce produces approximately 10,000 bottles annually across white, orange, red, and sparkling expressions — a tiny output that reflects the estate's seven-hectare scale and its commitment to quality over quantity. All wines are made from biodynamically farmed indigenous varieties, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in concrete tanks. No filtration, no fining with animal products, minimal or no sulphur. The labels are designed by Sergio Lazzaretti. The following represents the core cuvées as they have emerged from two decades of biodynamic winemaking on the Ligurian coast.
"It leaves you momentarily speechless. As Selvadolce's proprietor Aris Blancardi puts it: how could you make bad wine from a place like this?"
— Paris.itsfound.com
The Progressive Environmentalist & the Ligurian Purist
To understand Tenuta Selvadolce, one must understand the concept of the progressive environmentalist — a viticultural identity that is deeply political without being overtly ideological. Aris Blancardi is not merely a natural winemaker; he is a farmer who sees the vineyard as part of a larger ecosystem that includes ancient olive trees, dry-stone walls, wild herbs, and the Mediterranean itself. His progressivism is not expressed through slogans but through practice: biodynamic farming in a region where conventional agriculture dominates, natural vinification in an appellation system that often rewards technical correction, and the preservation of indigenous varieties that the global market has tried to replace with international grapes. The estate is a living argument for the possibility of agriculture as environmental restoration — not through grand gestures but through the daily work of tending seven hectares without chemicals, without irrigation, and without compromise.
The Ligurian purist identity that Aris embodies is equally central. Liguria is Italy's smallest and most topographically challenging region — a narrow coastal strip backed by mountains that rise almost vertically from the sea. Viticulture here has always been heroic: vines planted on terraces carved into steep slopes, supported by dry-stone walls, exposed to sun and wind and the constant threat of erosion. The wines have never achieved the commercial fame of Tuscany or Piedmont, partly because the region cannot produce enough volume to compete on the global stage. Aris has embraced this limitation as a virtue. Tenuta Selvadolce produces only 10,000 bottles a year — not because it cannot grow, but because it chooses not to. The Ligurian purist does not chase scale; he chases authenticity. Every bottle must taste of Bordighera, of sandy soil, of Mistral wind, of the grandfather's Pigato and the 600-metre Rossese. If it does not, it has failed, regardless of how many points it might score or how many cases it might sell.
The future of Tenuta Selvadolce is tied to the deepening of Aris's relationship with his seven hectares — the continued biodynamic cultivation of the Vermentino, Pigato, Rossese, Granaccia, and Ormeasco, the preservation of the ancient olive trees and dry-stone walls, the refinement of his concrete-tank vinification, the development of new cuvées that explore the full potential of skin-contact whites and high-altitude reds, and the strengthening of his position in the natural wine markets of Italy, France, and beyond. The estate will remain tiny, family-run, and defiantly Ligurian — the Bianco will continue to express the classic Vermentino-Pigato marriage; the Pigato will continue to honour the grandfather's legacy; the Rossese will continue to demonstrate what altitude can achieve; and the experimental lots will continue to test the boundaries of what this extreme western edge of Italy can produce without additives, without manipulation, and without artifice.
In an age of industrial wine production, of chemical agriculture and homogenised taste, Tenuta Selvadolce stands as a compelling alternative — not because it rejects Liguria but because it has embraced a different Liguria, one that values indigenous varieties over international grapes, biodynamic farming over chemical convenience, concrete tanks over new-barrel toast, indigenous yeasts over laboratory inoculation, handwork over mechanisation, grandfather's vines over new plantings, and the specific voice of Bordighera's sandy hills over the standardised replication of a global style. Aris Blancardi is not merely making wine; he is making a landscape — a seven-hectare argument for the possibility of agriculture as art, of terroir as identity, and of the extreme western Ligurian coast as a place capable of producing wines that are as complex, as alive, and as unforgettable as the Mediterranean light that inspired Monet. The 2004 founding, the grandfather's Pigato, the 600-metre Rossese, the Sergio Lazzaretti labels, the concrete cellar, the Mistral wind, the biodynamic practice, and the name that has meant natural Liguria for two decades: all united in one bottle, one estate, one unanswerable argument for the possibility of authentic, place-specific, heritage-rooted, creatively evolving artisan wine where Italy touches France and the sea meets the sky.
Aris Blancardi sees the vineyard as part of a larger ecosystem that includes ancient olive trees, dry-stone walls, wild herbs, and the Mediterranean itself. His progressivism is expressed through practice, not slogans: biodynamic farming where conventional agriculture dominates, natural vinification where technical correction is rewarded, and the preservation of indigenous varieties that the global market has tried to replace. The estate is a living argument for agriculture as environmental restoration — not through grand gestures but through the daily work of tending seven hectares without chemicals, without irrigation, and without compromise. The progressive environmentalist does not shout; he plants, he prunes, he waits.
Liguria is Italy's smallest, most topographically challenging wine region — a narrow coastal strip backed by mountains that rise vertically from the sea. Viticulture here has always been heroic: terraces carved into steep slopes, supported by dry-stone walls, exposed to sun and wind and erosion. Aris has embraced the region's commercial limitation as a virtue. Tenuta Selvadolce produces only 10,000 bottles a year — not because it cannot grow, but because it chooses not to. The Ligurian purist does not chase scale; he chases authenticity. Every bottle must taste of Bordighera, of sandy soil, of Mistral wind, of the grandfather's Pigato and the 600-metre Rossese. If it does not, it has failed — regardless of points or cases sold.