Etruscan Wine & the Vineyards of Lazio: A 3,000-Year-Old Glass

E02: ETRUSCAN WINE & THE VINEYARDS OF LAZIO — A 3,000-Year-Old Glass

The Ancient Wine Culture That Rome Built Upon

The Etruscans were Italy's first great winemakers — and their legacy lives on in Lazio's volcanic hills. Long before Rome was an empire, the Etruscans were pressing grapes on these same slopes, and the wines they created are still produced today using techniques passed down through millennia.

The Wines of Lazio

Frascati Superiore — The most famous Lazio white, from the volcanic soils near Rome. Crisp, mineral, perfect with porchetta. The same wine that Roman nobles drank at their summer villas in the Alban Hills. Cesanese del Piglio — A rare red from the hills southeast of Rome. Bold, spicy, and utterly unique. One of Italy's most distinctive wines, found nowhere else. Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone — The legendary white from the Lake Bolsena region. The name comes from a medieval bishop's wine-seeking messenger, who wrote "Est!" (Latin for "It is!") on every tavern door that served good wine. At Montefiascone, he wrote it three times.

Where to Taste

Castelli Romani Wine Estates — Private tastings with views over volcanic crater lakes. Many estates offer tours, tastings, and gourmet lunches. Cerveteri Area Vineyards — Where Etruscan wine culture began. Combine a wine visit with a tour of the ancient necropolises. Lake Bracciano Agriturismi — Combining wine with lakeside dining and views of the Orsini-Odescalchi Castle.

Helicopter Wine Tours

Our most exclusive wine experience: fly from Rome to a Castelli Romani estate by helicopter, enjoy a private tasting and gourmet lunch, visit a papal villa garden, and return to Rome — all in half a day.

Internal Links

• [Where to Eat: Rome's Gastronomy → P8]
• [Castelli Romani: Volcanic Elegance → C08]
• [Cerveteri: City of the Dead → C03]
• [Luxury Bespoke Services → P6]

Last updated: 2026-06-20 | Roma Luxury