📍 Castelli Romani
Volcanic hills south of Rome, home of Frascati.
Castelli Romani (“Roman Castles”) are the volcanic Alban Hills south-east of Rome, in the Lazio region. Old towns stand around lakes Albano and Nemi, and vines have long been grown here for Rome's taverns. The zone belongs to Lazio.
The soils are formed by volcanic ash and tuff, so the wines are spicy with a mineral edge. The climate is warm, but the altitude of the hills and the nearby sea soften the heat.
The main wines are white, above all Frascati, made from Malvasia (di Candia and Puntinata) and Trebbiano. Other known names are Marino, Colli Albani, Colli Lanuvini, Velletri, Montecompatri Colonna and Zagarolo. Frascati is made dry, off-dry and sweet; the Superiore category follows stricter rules. Reds and rosés are made from local and international grapes.
The wines of Castelli Romani are simple and suit Roman food: pasta, porchetta and cheese. This is the wine area closest to Rome, so it is easy to make a day trip from the capital. Frascati is traditionally served in local “fraschette” taverns with porchetta, pasta carbonara and pecorino. Simple white wine from here is traditionally drunk young and chilled, while the most carefully made Frascati Superiore deserves separate attention.
How it connects to Wine
📍 Castelli Romani → → → 🍷 Still wine → kind of → 🍷 Types of wine → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
Frequently asked questions
What are the Castelli Romani?
The volcanic Alban Hills south-east of Rome, a wine zone of Lazio.
What is the best-known wine?
Frascati, a white from Malvasia and Trebbiano.
What are the soils of Castelli Romani?
Volcanic ash and tuff.
What to read next
- 📜 Frascati Superiore — A white wine from the volcanic hills of Frascati south-east of Rome.
- 🍷 Red wine — Wine from dark grapes that ferments with the skins and takes its colour from them.
- 🍷 Still wine — Wine without noticeable bubbles: EU category 1, at least 8.5–9 % actual alcohol and no more than 15 % total; red, white, rosé or orange.
- 📜 Cannellino di Frascati — A sweet white wine from Frascati in the hills near Rome.
- 📜 Marino — A white wine from the town of Marino in the Castelli Romani hills near Rome.
Similar
📜 Colli della Sabina · 📜 Tarquinia · 📜 Vignanello · 📜 Colli Etruschi Viterbesi · 📜 Aprilia · 📜 Circeo
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
What it includes
Sources
- Ministero dell'agricoltura (MASAF)
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register