Imperia is the first serious yachting stop east of the French border and one of the most practical berths on this coast. Go Imperia has deep water and space that Sanremo does not, at Italian rather than Riviera prices, which is why a good number of yachts working the Côte d’Azur actually keep their berth here and run west for the day.

That proximity is the point for provisioning. Imperia, Marina degli Aregai at Santo Stefano al Mare and Marina di Loano are all within our own van’s normal working range from Antibes — same or next day, delivered to the berth by our driver. For a yacht based in Liguria but chartering on the French coast, that means the cellar is never the reason to move the boat.

It also makes Imperia a sensible place to store a season’s wine. A yacht that lies here between charters can take a full delivery in one go, without the pressure of a Riviera summer berth where a pallet has to be threaded between tenders and passerelles during the busiest fortnight of the year.

This is Rossese and Pigato country — Dolceacqua is directly inland from Ventimiglia and the western Ligurian whites are among the best seafood wines in Italy. We carry them alongside our full international list of over 1,500 wines, Champagnes and spirits, all openly priced online with a tasting note on every bottle.