Lazio

Overview

Lazio is the region of Rome, the Eternal City, and its wines have been intertwined with civilization itself for over two thousand years. The volcanic hills that ring the city - particularly around the Castelli Romani - have nurtured vineyards since antiquity, producing wines that refreshed emperors and popes alike.

The region's most famous wine is Frascati, a delicate white made primarily from Malvasia and Trebbiano. Traditionally light and easy-drinking, the best examples today show surprising depth, texture, and volcanic minerality. Beyond Frascati, Lazio is home to a growing number of artisan producers crafting wines from both indigenous and international varieties.

Lazio's reds are less known but increasingly compelling. Cesanese, an ancient indigenous grape from the hills east of Rome, produces wines of real character - earthy, spicy, and deeply colored. With improved viticulture and a new generation of winemakers, Lazio is quietly emerging as one of Italy's most exciting up-and-coming regions.

Key Varietals

• MalvasiaThe backbone of Frascati, offering floral aromatics, almond, and a delicate, refreshing profile with volcanic undertones.
• TrebbianoA widely planted white contributing crisp acidity and citrus notes; in Lazio's volcanic soils, it gains surprising complexity.
• CesaneseLazio's star red, yielding deeply colored, spicy wines with dark berry, earth, and black pepper character.
• BelloneAn ancient indigenous white making a comeback, producing wines with bright acidity, green apple, and saline minerality.