Cesanese wine: characteristics and pairings

Cesanese: the noblest red of the Lazio vine

Cesanese is an excellence of Lazio. A red wine that can be inserted among the best italian wines. And if in the imaginative and comic screenplay of the Marchese del Grillo, a mythological character born from the union between the genius of the director Mario Monicelli and the whimsical talent of the great Alberto Sordi, the nineteenth-century nobleman went crazy for it, arriving to consume the contents of a whole barrel; there are historical references that could also refer to this particular Lazio grape in ancient literature, such as the Naturalis Historia which speaks of the Alveole which, according to the Roman scholar, grew near Ariccia.

Cesanese del Piglio: the only DOCG

Cesanese, or rather Cesanesi, grown in the territories of Affile, Olevano Romano, in the province of Rome, and Piglio in the upper Ciociaria, is the only red wine to have obtained the DOCG (Guaranteed Denomination of Controlled Origin).

The most distant genesis of the vine is lost in the mists of time. In fact, surpassing even the stories of the classic writer, there are those who connect the origins of the vine to the distant Caucasian lands, dating the arrival in Rome only to the fifth century, a date much later than the story of Pliny who, in this case, would have been misinterpreted. Almost unsolvable mystery. What instead is the practically unique DNA of the vine without any link with other typical grapes of the Italian territories.
It was in the period, in which these areas were Roman colonies, that the term Cesanese was created as the variety was grown in caesae, i.e. in “places with cut trees”.

The grape variety is medium late, characterized by a thick and waxy skin (the bloom). We find Cesanese del Piglio Docg among the labels of the Vinea Domini line, the premium range of Gotto d’oro.

In the Line75 we find the Cesanese Igt Lazio, this type of Cesanese is born closer to Rome, between Olevano and the Castelli Romani where in ancient times it was also called as Bonvino Nero, Castrese, Sanguinella and Nero Ferrigno, today more simply the common Cesanese which represents the most renowned native black berried variety of Lazio.

A precious jewel and…for a few

Cesanese is a native grape of the territories of southern Lazio. A complex but not complicated variety, whose characteristic that makes it among the best and most particular, so much so as to characterize its area of origin, is precisely the low production of wine it offers, inversely proportional to the very high quality of the product.
This specificity that makes Cesanese so precious was understood only in the last century. Until the first half of the twentieth century, in fact, the Piglio area was cultivated with greater intensity, without the possibility of enjoying and benefiting to the fullest from the uniqueness which, literally, would later brand the Cesanese.

Cesanese wine: from the Piglio countryside to the noblest wines in Italy

Only when the Ciociari winemakers realized the true specificity of their grape did the result begin to be surprising, offering to wine lovers the red wine of absolute quality that everyone today can appreciate and enjoy.
A wine that is characterized by its typical aroma, reminiscent of ripe sour cherries, full-bodied and soft in the mouth, with a slightly almondy finish. A wine that fears no comparison with the great Italian noble varieties.
Ruby red in colour, the Cesanese wine is soft and full-bodied on the palate and particularly gifted in terms of freshness. The tannic structure is important. The natural acidity, typical of the vine, is gradually lost with maturation. For this reason, an early harvest is often opted for, a widespread practice, especially for the part of Cesanese destined for aging. The palate is rich and absolutely enjoyable both in terms of persistence and intensity.

Pairings: the perfect match with lamb chops

All these characteristics make Cesanese the perfect host to tasty meals which can include: appetizers with very seasoned cured meats, first courses based on meat sauces (very popular in the Ciociara tradition) but also spaghetti carbonara, second courses of roasted meat. Both of our cesanese, Gotto d’oro Igt Lazio and Vinea Domini Piglio DOCG, will therefore be another symbolic dish of Roman cuisine such as lamb chops. Therefore, let it be a rich meal in good company, thanks to the unique authenticity that does not betray the Cesanese.

Prosit!