| Lazio |
|
Lazio is not really appreciated for its wine, but this lack of recognition may be a source of pleasant surprises. Viticulture and winemaking in Lazio are characterized by the climatic and environmental diversities of the different provinces. In the north, in the province of Viterbo, near the border with Tuscany and Umbria, the main wine tourism areas are around Lake Bolsena. Here two interesting wines are produced: the red Aleatico di Gradoli, near the village by the same name, and the white "Est! Est !!Est!!!", the symbol wine of Montefiascone, a beautiful small town on a hilltop overlooking the lake, at an altitude of 640 meters. The Fortress of the Popes, beautifully restored, was the residence of 30 different Popes, between 1058 and 1500, while the Cathedral of Santa Margherita has a majestic dome, the third in Italy for its size in diameter. Other wine production zones around Viterbo are near the border with Umbria (Orvieto Doc) and near the province of Rome (Tarquinia Doc and Cerveteri Doc).
In the Sabina territory, wine production is not so important as the production of extra-virgin olive oil. However, some white and red wines, meant to be drunk young, are produced in the hills of the Sabina Doc zone, an area comprising several communes in the provinces of Rieti and Rome, such as Poggio Mirteto, Fara Sabina or Mentana. Around the capital we can find a lot of Doc wine zones, often partly overlapping. In the volcanic hills, known as the Castelli Romani, the following Doc wines are produced: Castelli Romani, Colli Albani, Velletri, Zagarolo, Marino and the famous white Frascati. One of the main attractions is the Lake of Castel Gandolfo or Lake Albano, which, being 170 meters deep, is the deepest lake in Italy. In Frascati, on entering the town, the beautiful Villa Aldobrandini can be seen on a gentle slope.
East of Rome, along the valley of the Aniene river, there are two red wine zones: the Cesanese Affile Doc and, farther south, the Cesanese Olevano Romano Doc, near the highlands of Arcinazzo, with their extended fir woods, reminiscent of alpine landscapes.
Totally different landscapes can be admired in the province of Latina, in the Pre-Apennine Cori Doc zone and in the coastal plain of the Circeo Doc zone, where vineyards are set on reclaimed marshland, known as the Pontine lowlands. Among the white and light red wines of the area, is the native Moscato di Terracina, a white wine in dry, semisweet or passito versions, from vineyards located along the so-called “Coast of Ulysses“. There are a number of beautiful seaside resorts, very popular with the Romans in summer: Sabaudia, an elegant town with its rationalist architecture; San Felice Circeo, in the National Park of Circeo, on the peninsula where, according to a legend, Ulysses met the sorceress Circe. Farther south is Terracina, a bustling seaside resort with an interesting historic center, dominated by the imposing Temple of Jupiter Anxur, built in the first century BC, on the top of the 227-meter high Monte Sant'Angelo.
Places not to miss
In Frascati, on entering the town, the beautiful seventeenth-century Villa Aldobrandini, can be seen on a gentle slope. Its history is linked with the history of Papacy and of noble Roman families. Architect Giacomo della Porta planned the building, on behalf of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini. Manneristic and Baroque frescoes by the Zuccari brothers, Cavalier Arpino and Domenichino, can be admired inside the Villa. Architects Carlo Maderno and Giovanni Fontana were the creators of the splendid Italian-style garden, with the “Teatro delle Acque”, where the Pope and his entourage could enjoy water games and the sounds of jet fountains. Visits by appointment tel 06.94549045 |
