Latium

Lazio is a region in central Italy, and home to the ancient capital city of Rome. Like many Italian wine regions, Lazio's vine heritage is ancient. Its first inhabitants were the Etruscans, though it was the Latins who gave the area its original name Latium. The Romans brought the region into another era by improving trade and agriculture, although after the collapse of the Roman Empire the land was neglected. Only in the 1870s, when Rome became the capital of Italy, did this wine region flourish once again.

Lazio is home to roughly 30 DOC titles, representing a fine collection of wines in which three white DOCs stand out: Castelli Romani (the most important), Frascati (the more renowned and traditional) and Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone (lesser known on international markets). Other DOCs that have made a name for themselves are Orvieto (shared with Lazio's northeastern neighbor, Umbria) and Marino. A rare find also comes from around the Lago di Bolsena lake in the form of Aleatico di Gradoli, a sweet red which can also be transformed into a liquoroso.