So you’re in beautiful Rome and want to try some local wine. Here’s a quick guide.
Rome is in the wine region of Lazio. So when at a bar or restaurant, ask for a wine from Lazio if you want to go local.
Red wines
Our favourite local grape is Nero Buono, which has an interesting background. Try the Cincinnato Ercole which is a full bodied and rich wine, with herbal notes. Definitely a good drink.
White wines
According to Vivino, “you will not find many famous grapes grown in this region, but you will find some great values”.
Having said that, the one to go for is Frascati Superiore made from Trebbiano grapes. According to winefolly.com, “The best wines are typically labeled Frascati Superiore, which is a slightly higher production standard. You’ll also find a rare sweet wine called Cannellino di Frascati”, which sounds like something worth looking for.
However, less than an hour by train North of Rome is the beautiful ancient city of Orvieto. This is white wine country. We had a beautiful bottle of Luigi & Giovanna Barberani 2014, a blend of local grapes. At 24 Euros, it’s a pricey drink but completely worth it.
Italian wine classifications
Each Italian wine will be classified under DOCG, DOC, IGT or Vino da Tavola.
Go for DOCG wines if you want to go for the best quality bottles. It’s basically the Don of wine classifications but that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be spending huge amounts which is good news.
DOC wines are your regular every day stuff. The working class most wines are classified under.
IGT is the rebel. The black sheep that doesn’t quite fit into the grape varieties recognised by DOCG or DOC, but still worth a try.
Finally Vino da Tavola means “table wine”. It’s the lowest grade of wine. Cheap and cheerful.
More info
Do let us know below if you’ve tried any good wines in Rome, i.e. from Lazio.
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