Latium, a region now known by the name of Lazio, with its slightly less than 50,000 hectares of vineyards, is one of the largest wine-growing areas in Italy, after Veneto, Sicily and Puglia. The region was named after the Latins, and of course Lazio hosts in its centre the capital of Italy - Rome.
Primarily white wine is produced here, the most famous being Frascati from the Castelli Romani near Rome and Est! Est!!! Est!!! The curious name of the latter comes from a legend according to which John Fugger traveled the region in 1111, sending his servant ahead to find the inn with the best wine. Then, in Montefiascone, he wrote the said three "Est" with exclamation marks on a wall. Frascati like Est! Est!!! Est!!! are produced from Trebbiano and Malvasia.
Orvieto may also be produced here, as a small part of the Orvieto area extends to Lazio.
So far, the region has not made much of an appearance with red wines, but some promising cuvées of Cabernet and Merlot suggest that the climate and soil of Lazio are certainly suitable for the cultivation of red wine varieties. In addition to the metropolis of Rome, the romantic town of Frascati with its many small taverns and pretty sights is certainly a tourist attraction.
