Italy Unit 12 - Lazio

The following are my notes for studying the wines of the Lazio (English Latium) region of Italy including information about the climate, important red and white grapes and extensive information on the DOCs and DOCGS. I also include notes on the wines I tasted from this region.

Lazio is located south of Tuscany and Umbria to the northeast on the Tyrrhenian Coast, Campania to the south and Abruzzo to the east. Its capital is Rome “the Eternal City”, the political center of Italy, the third most populous Italian region and the location of the Catholic Holy See.

The White Grapes of Lazio and Est! Est!! Est!!!

The principal grapes of Lazio are Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia. One of the most well-known, at least for its history if not its quality, is the Trebbiano-based white wines of Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone.

The unusual name of the wine region dates back to a 12th-century tale of a German bishop named Johann Fugger who was traveling to the Vatican for a meeting with the Pope. The bishop sent a prelate ahead of him to survey the villages along the route for the best wines. At a Montefiascone inn, the prelate was so impressed with the local wine that he wrote on the door of the Inn with chalk, Est! Est!! Est!!! (Latin for “It is” which is short for Vinum est bonum, “The wine is good”).[1] Another version of this story says that it was a Flemish bishop who was attending the coronation of Henry V, the Holy Roman Emperor. While story is generally considered to be apocryphal it is without a doubt great for publicity.[2]  The wines can be produced in dry and sweeter abboccato styles. One major producer is Falesco, which I sampled during my studying (see notes below).

The Red Grapes of Lazio

Red wines make up only 15% of the region’s production with the indigenous Cesanese grape being the primary grape in the Rosso wines of Cesanese del Piglio, the first zone in Lazio to achieve DOCG status. Some of Lazio's best known red wines on the international stage emerge from the Falesco estate in Montefiascone near the Umbrian border, but Falesco’s best wines are made from Bordeaux varietals, particularly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, not Cesanese.

Climate
The proximity of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of Lazio plays an important role in the climate as cool sea breezes temper the drier, warmer temperatures on the coast, while the mountainous area is subject to various macroclimates despite being protected by the Apennines from the cold winds coming from the north-east.
Soils
The volcanic hills of Lazio provide an excellent base for viticulture thanks to the fertile and porous (well-drained) land. Nourishment for the grapes is provided by lava and tufa soils, rich in potassium. This type of soil is particularly suited to white grapes as it ensures a good balance of acidity.
IGTs Lazio has 7 Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) zones which are: Anagni, Civitella d'Agliano, Colli Cimini, Costa Etrusco Romana, Frusinante or del Frusinante, and Lazio.
DOCs and DOCGs There are 26 Denominazioni di Origine Controllata (DOC)s and 3 Denominazioni di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)s in Lazio.
DOCs
1. Aprilia DOC	Established in 1980. The primary white grape varietal is Trebbiano: The primary red grape varietals are: Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50% Trebbiano Toscano; 5–35% Chardonnay. Rosso  and Rosato  must consist of a minimum of 50% Sangiovese, 5–25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5–25% Merlot.
2. Atina DOC	Established in 1999. The primary white grape varietal is Sémillon. The primary red grape varietals are: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, a minimum of 10% Cabernet Franc, a minimum 10% Merlot and a minimum of 10% Syrah.
3. Bianco Capena DOC	Established in 1975. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 25% Trebbiano, a maximum of 55% Malvasia, a maximum of 20% Bellone and/or Bombino Bianco.
4. Castelli Romani DOC	Established in 1996. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Cesanese, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, and Sangiovese. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata), and/or Trebbiano. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 85% Cesanese, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, and/or Sangiovese. Rosato may consist of any proportions of Cesanese, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, and/or Sangiovese.
5. Cerveteri DOC	Established in 1975. The primary white grape varietal is Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Montepulciano, and Sangiovese.  Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50% Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico) and a maximum 35% Malvasia. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 60% Montepulciano and/or Sangiovese (minimum 25% of each) and a maximum of 35% Merlot.
6.  Cesanese di Affile or Affile DOC	Established in 1973. The primary red grape varietal is Cesanese. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 90% Cesanese di Affile.
7. Cesanese di Olevano Romano or Olevano Romano DOC	Established in 1973. The primary red grape varietal is Cesanese. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 85% Cesanese di Affile.
8. Circeo DOC	Established in 1996. The primary white grape varietal is Trebbiano: The primary red grape varietals are: Sangiovese and Merlot. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 55% Trebbiano Toscano, a maximum of 30% Chardonnay and a maximum of 30% Malvasia. Rosso and Rosato must consist of a minimum of 55% Merlot, a maximum of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and a maximum of 30% Sangiovese.
9. Colli Albani DOC	Established in 1970. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. Bianco and Spumante must consist of a minimum of 60% Malvasia Bianca di Candia (locally Malvasia Rossa); 25–50% Trebbiano (di Soave, Giallo, or Toscano); 5–45% Malvasia del Lazio.
10. Colli della Sabina DOC	Established in 1996. The primary white grape varietal is Malvasia. The primary red grape varietal is Sangiovese. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50% Malvasia del Lazio and 5–35% Trebbiano. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 40–70% Sangiovese and 15–40% Montepulciano.
11. Colli Etruschi Viterbesi or Tuscia, DOC	Established in 1996. The primary white grape varietals are: Grechetto, Moscato, and Trebbiano The primary red grape varietals are: Bianco must consist of a minimum of 0–80% Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico) and a maximum of 30% Malvasia (Toscana or del Lazio). Rosso and Rosato must consist of a minimum of 50–65% Sangiovese and 20–45% Montepulciano (locally Violone). Passito must consist of a minimum of 85% Moscato.
12. Colli Lanuvini DOC	Established in 1971. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Merlot, Montepulciano, and Sangiovese. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 30% Trebbiano and a maximum of 70% Malvasia (Bianca di Candia and/or del Lazio). Rosso must consist of a minimum of 50% Merlot; minimum 35% Montepulciano and/or Sangiovese. Spumante must consist of a minimum of 30% Trebbiano and a maximum of 70% Malvasia.
13. Cori DOC	Established in 1971. The primary white grape varietal is Bellone. The primary red grape varietal is Nero Buono. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50% Bellone, a minimum of 20% Malvasia and a minimum of 15% Greco. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 50% Nero Buono, a minimum of 20% Montepulciano and a minimum of 15% Cesanese.
14. Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone, DOC	Established in 1966. The primary white grape varietal is Trebbiano. The must comes from grapes grown within the province of Viterbo and included in the administrative territory of the municipalities of Montefiascone, Bolsena, San Lorenzo Nuovo, Grotte di Castro, Gradoli, Capodimonte and Marta, harvested to a maximum yield of 13 tonnes/ha. The finished wine must have a minimum least 11% abv. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50–65% Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico), 25–40% Trebbiano Giallo and 10–20% Malvasia (Bianca Lunga or del Lazio) Spumante must consist of a minimum of 50–65% Trebbiano Toscano, 25–40% Trebbiano Giallo and 10–20% Malvasia.
15. Frascati DOC	Established as a DOC in 1966; Cannellino di Frascati and Frascati Superiore were established as separate DOCGs in 2011. The primary white grape varietal is Malvasia. Bianco and Spumante must consist of a minimum of 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata); maximum 30% Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, and/or Trebbiano.
16. Genazzano DOC	Established in Malvasia. The primary white grape varietal is Ciliegiolo. The primary red grape varietals are: Bianco must consist of a minimum of 85% Malvasia di Candia. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 85% Ciliegiolo.
17. Marino DOC	Established in 1970. The primary white grape varietals are: Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, Malvasia, Verdicchio Bianco and Spumante, Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva must consist of a minimum of 50% Malvasia Bianca di Candia (locally Malvasia Rossa).
18. Montecompatri Colonna or Montecompatri or Colonna DOC	Established in 1973. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 30% Trebbiano (Giallo, Toscano, or Verde); maximum 70% Malvasia (Bianca di Candia and/or del Lazio); maximum 10% Bellone and/or Bombino Bianco.
19. Nettuno DOC	Established in 2003. The primary white grape varietals are: Bellone, Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Merlot and Sangiovese. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 30–70% Bellone (locally Cacchione) and 30–50% Trebbiano Toscano. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 30–70% Merlot and 30–50% Sangiovese.
20. Orvieto DOC	Established as a DOC in 1971, it overlaps both Lazio and Umbria. The primary white grape varietals are: Grechetto and Trebbiano. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 60% Grechetto and/or Trebbiano Toscano (known locally as Procanico). Rosso and Rosato must consist of a minimum of. Muffa Nobile (Botrytis Cinerea “noble rot”) sweet wines must consist of a minimum of a minimum of 60% Grechetto and/or Trebbiano and must achieve a minimum potential alcohol level of 16.0%. Vendemmia Tardiva must consist of a minimum of 60% Grechetto and/or Trebbiano. A new encépagement engineered in 2003 emphasizes the native Grechetto grape over the blander Trebbiano Toscana and may lead to a higher base standard of wine in the future.
21. Roma DOC	Established in 2011. The primary white grape varietals are: Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, Malvasia, and Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cesanese, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Syrah. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50% Malvasia; minimum 35% Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, and/or Trebbiano (Giallo and/or Verde). Rosso and Rosato must consist of a minimum of 50% Montepulciano; minimum 35% Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cesanese, Sangiovese, and/or Syrah. Romanella Spumante must consist of a minimum of 50% Malvasia; minimum 35% Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, and/or Trebbiano.
22. Tarquinia DOC	Established in 1996. The primary white grape varietal is Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Montepulciano, Sangiovese. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 50% Trebbiano Giallo and/or Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico); maximum 35% Malvasia (del Lazio and/or di Candia). Rosso must consist of a minimum of 60% Montepulciano and Sangiovese (minimum 25% of each) with a maximum of 25% Cesanese Comune.
23. Terracina or Moscato di Terracina DOC	Established in 2007. The primary white grape varietal is Moscato. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 85% Moscato di Terracina. Spumante must consist of a minimum of 100% Moscato di Terracina. Passito must consist of a minimum of 85% Moscato di Terracina.
24. Velletri DOC	Established in 1972. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Cesanese and Montepulciano. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 30% Trebbiano (Giallo, Toscano, and/or Verde) and a maximum of 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata). Rosso must consist of a minimum of 10–45% Sangiovese; 30–50% Montepulciano; minimum 10% Cesanese (Comune or di Affile). Spumante must consist of a minimum of 30% Trebbiano and a maximum of 70% Malvasia.
25. Vignanello DOC	Established in 1992. The primary white grape varietals are: Greco and Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietal is Sangiovese. Bianco must consist of a minimum of 70% Trebbiano (Giallo and/or Toscano); maximum 30% Malvasia (Bianca di Candia and/or del Chianti). Rosso must consist of a minimum of 50% Sangiovese; maximum 40% Ciliegiolo. Greco Spumante must consist of a minimum of 85% Greco. Vendemmia Tardiva must consist of a minimum of 70% Trebbiano and a maximum 30% Malvasia. Greco Vendemmia Tardiva must consist of a minimum of 85% Greco.
26.  Zagarolo DOC	Established in 1973. The primary white grape varietals are: Malvasia and Trebbiano. The primary red grape varietals are: Bianco must consist of a minimum of 30% Trebbiano (Giallo, Toscano, and/or Verde) and a maximum of 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata); maximum 10% Bellone and/or Bombino Bianco.
DOCGs
1. Cannellino di Frascati DOCG	Formerly part of the Frascati DOC; established as a separate DOCG in 2011. The primary white grape varietal is Malvasia. Vendemmia Tardiva must consist of a minimum of 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata) and a maximum of 30% Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, and/or Trebbiano.
2. Cesanese di Piglio DOCG	Established as a DOC in 1973; became a DOCG in 2008. The primary red grape varietal is Cesanese. Rosso must consist of a minimum of 90% Cesanese.
3. Frascati Superiore DOCG	Formerly part of the Frascati DOC; established as a separate DOCG in 2011. The primary white grape varietal is Malvasia. Superiore must consist of a minimum of 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata) and a maximum of 30% Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, and/or Trebbiano.
Key White Grape Varieties
French Varietals	Chardonnay, Sémillon
Bellone	It is grown mostly in the vineyards around the Italian capital Rome and plays an important part in the white wines of the Roma DOC. The Arciprete (“archpriest’) clone has proved particularly well suited for sweet late-harvest wines.
Bombino Bianco	Valued more for its generous yields than its aromatic qualities has a few nicknames such as Straccia Cambiale and Pagadebit (“the debt payer”) in reference to its reliably high yields. Although not related to Trebbiano, in Abruzzo it is known as Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.
Grechetto	Often referred to as Grechetto Bianco it is of Greek origin and is also known as Grechetto di Todi, Grechetto Spoletino, Greco Spoletino, Greco Bianco di Perugia. It is grown in Lazio, and Tuscany, and is more-well known in Umbria. It is a thick-skinned grape making it resistant to downy mildew and is most often used as a blending grape. It also produces a high amount of sugar making it suitable for Vin Santo.
Greco	Also known as Greco Bianco, it is an ancient, light-skinned grape variety thought to have originated in Greece but now grown throughout southern Italy, particularly in Campania and Calabria. Recent DNA profiling has proven that Greco is genetically identical to Asprinio, as it is known along the coast of Campania. It tends to have high acidity and a fresh, clean, grapey flavor profile but they also tend to oxidize in bottle relatively quickly resulting in nutty, caramelized flavors so they are best when consumed young.
Malvasia	Also known as Malmsey, Malvasier, Malvazia, Monemvasia. It is believed to be of Greek origin, the Malvasia family has been commercially important to the Mediterranean for more than 2000 years. Malvasia, the name, is a derivation of the coastal Greek town of Monemvasia. It is grown all over Italy.
Moscato	Known as Moscatel in Spain and Portugal, and Muscat internationally it is one of the oldest and most widespread grape families in the world. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East and was grown by the ancient Greeks. Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) is the oldest and most highly valued of the Muscat family.
Roscetto	Also spelt Rossetto, the name alludes to the fact that when the grapes are fully ripe, they turn pinky-red. This rare white variety is indigenous to Lazio and is grown only in small quantities around the city Montefiascone (Viterbo province) in central Italy, and was historically grown south of Rome in the Castelli Romani region and near the Lazio-Umbria border, between Orvieto and the Lago di Bolsena. The low yield vine yields acid-stressed, full-bodied, aromatic white wines.
Trebbiano Toscano	Trebbiano is also known as Ugni Blanc in France where it is used to produce both Cognac and Armagnac. There are a number of varieties that bear the name Trebbiano but some of them are not genetically related. In Italy, Trebbiano Toscano is sanctioned for use in about 85 of the country’s 300+ DOCs.
Key Red Grape Varieties
French Varietals	Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah
Cesanese	There are two Cesanese varieties, Cesanese Comune (also known as Bonvino Nero) and Cesanese di Affile which is generally considered superior. However, Cesanese Comune is the larger-berried of the two vines and is slightly more robust, showing increased resistance to fungal infections and other vineyard pests and it is the grape behind the wines of the Laszio’s first DOCG - Cesanese del Piglio DOCG.
Montepulciano	Locally known as Violone, this grape may have originated in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, it is now more commonly found in Abruzzo.
Nero Buono	Nero Buono (like Tannat, Alicante Bouschet, Mourvedre) is known as a teinturiers because of the deep color of both the skins and the juice. It is mostly used to add color to lighter wines as it is used in the blended Cori Rosso wines produced under the Cori DOC.
Sangiovese	Sangiovese derives its name from the Latin Sanguis Jovis, “the blood of Jove” and it has several synonyms. In Chianti Classico it may be referred to as Sangiovetto, in Montalcino it is called Brunello, in Montepulciano it is called Prugnello Gentile and along the coast in Maremma it is called Morellino. "Sangiovese" was actually several "varieties" of clones which he broadly classified as Sangiovese Grosso and Sangiovese Piccolo. The Sangiovese Grosso family includes the clones growing in the Brunello region as well as the clones known as Prugnolo Gentile and Sangiovese di Lamole that was grown in the Greve in Chianti region. Sangiovese wines in Tuscany tend to be light in color with sour cherry notes and herbal undertones. Structurally they are naturally high in acidity, firmly tannic, and medium to full-bodied. When aged, Sangiovese traditionally spends time in large European (often Slavonian) casks, but modern wines are just as likely to be aged in new barriques, which infuse both flavor and texture into the wines.
Notable Wine Producers
Falesco	Falesco is a family-run winery that was established in Montefiascone, Italy in 1979. It is run by winemaking brothers Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella, Riccardo’s daughter Dominga and winemaker Pier Paolo Chiasso. The estate consists of 670 acres with approximately 370 acres under vine. It straddles the border of Lazio and Umbria, about 50 miles north of Rome. Falesco's most popular wine is Vitiano, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese grown in Umbria. The annual production is almost 3 million bottles.

The Wines

While studying Lazio I tasted the following wines:

2013 Falesco Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone, Lazio IGT

This wine is a blend of 50% Trebbiano, 30% Malvasia, and 20% Roscetto. This is a clear white wine, straw in color with a slight green tinge around the edge, low concentration and medium viscosity. On the nose it is clean with moderate intense aromas of green apples, melon rind, lemon, with green vegetal notes and a hint of white flowers and salty sea breeze. On the palate it is somewhat tart and very dry with high acidity, medium- body and a medium+ length finish. This wine sells for $9.99 at Beltramos in Redwood City, California

While every book and online resource I have read makes less-than-positive comments about this wine, I paired it with Chicken & Prosciutto Tortellini with Pesto sauce and it worked quite well. But, by itself it is nothing to rave about.

2009 Castello di Torre in Pietra Terre di Breccia Lazio Rosso, Lazio IGT

This wine is a blend of Cesanese, Montepulciano, Sangiovese. It is an opaque red wine, dark purple at the core to violet at the rim with medium+ viscosity and slow running tears. On the nose it has subtle aromas of dusty black cherries, black berries, dried violets, with hints of dried herbs, dusty earth, spice and black pepper. On the palate it is dry with medium tannins, medium+ acidity and a moderate length finish. I would describe this wine has being rustic and while it does not fair well on its own it went well with an Italian meatloaf, so it needs to be paired with food in order to be appreciated. This wine sells for $16.99 at Enoteca Vino Nostro in San Francisco.

2009 Falesco “Pomele”, Lazio IGT

It is made from 100% Aleatico using Cryo-maceration for 2 days. It has 110 g/l residual sugar and 10% abv. It is an opaque red wine, dark purple/black at the core to violet at the rim with minimal variation and high viscosity. On the nose it is clean with moderate intense aromas of blueberry jam, boysenberry pancake syrup, maple, brown sugar, dates, and dried plums. On the palate the nose is confirmed, it is semi-sweet with moderate- tannins, medium acidity, a silky mouth-feel and a moderate length finish. It is somewhat similar to a port or late harvest wine but not as intensely sweet. This wine sells for $27.99 for a 500 ml bottle at Beltramos in Redwood City, California.

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[1] Joe Bastianich and David Lynch, Vino Italiano (Crown Publishing 2005), 264.

[2] Tom Stevenson, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia (5^th Edition) (DK Publishing, 2011), 339.