Learn more about wines from Rome and Lazio

Wine-lovers and visiting Rome? We’re back with another instalment of what is shaping up to become a regular series! We started out back in the day with this post on some of the most well known wineries of the Lazio region, which was not meant to be comprehensive, but received an overwhelming response anyway.

Thanks to some solid feedback from our guests, now we want to delve into the types of wines you can taste that originate from around Rome. On top of having wineries at your fingertips that you can visit at a fraction of the price it would cost to set foot in the Chianti area, or in Piedmont, you can also shop for different varieties as you stay in the city.

There are over 200 grape types in our region, with a little under 30 DOCG wines, which means they have been selected as having the highest quality level. Not a small feat, when your next-door neighbors are the wines from Tuscany! So, without further ado, here’s some pointers to understanding and buying wines from around Rome.

Know your reds

Although the Lazio region is known above all for its white wines, we want to start this with reds, that can be split (just as white wines) in two rough categories: there are autochthonous varieties, known and grown here even for thousands of years, as well as international ones, introduced more recently for their capacity to adapt to soils and climates that range from very dry to very humid. Among the latter you can look for Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons or Shiraz/Syrah wines.

The former, on the other hand, include Cesanese del Piglio (“Cesanese” for short!) and Nero buono di Cori, but interesting and widely diverse results have been obtained by growing Ciliegiolo, Bombino, Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes, all originally from other areas of Italy. Recently, the media gave lots of attention to the “rediscovery” of a rarer kind of red grape, the Abbuoto, loved by ancient Romans, a little harder to find as it’s only grown in a small area south of the Eternal city.

Famous (and lesser-known) white wines

When we mentioned, at the start, the 30-ish DOCG wines hailing from Lazio we should have also said that these superstars are almost always white – with white Frascati Superiore and Est! Est! Est! from Montefiascone being the most well-known ones, even abroad.

Grapes such as Grechetto, Bellone, Malvasia, Trebbiano, Viognier are common both as monovarietal wines as well as blends.

Explore and discover, at your own pace

We understand that listing names of varieties can be a little overwhelming, that’s why we want to mention an interesting project called Strada del Vino (Wine Route, in English): the official website displays wineries south of Rome, and specifically those in the Latina area.

On top of learning more about the wines produced in this specific territory, you can pick and book “experiences” ranging from a traditional wine tour to tastings paired with more adventurous outings, including horseback riding or ziplining.

Where to buy the wines from the Lazio area?

There is no shortage of resources for the enthusiasts who want to branch out and discover lesser known wines. Every district in Rome has at least a dozen wine shops you can explore, some literally walking distance from many of our apartments (see all of our accommodations here). While Bernabei is probably the best known wine shop in Rome, there are smaller ones you can visit. And don’t forget the wine aisles in major supermarkets. Even small grocery stores and cafes will have products they can recommend and sell.

Online wine shopping is also an option if you’re abroad and want to have bottles shipped: Tannico.it, Vivino, and also Viniburini.it are among some major websites all offering international shipping. We like the latter because they reclaimed a rather derogatory term (“burino” is the equivalent of “redneck”) and used it as a brand, and their focus is on local wines only, including organic ones.