Lazio

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Lazio is a predominantly hilly region, with 54% of its territory covered by hills, 20% by plains, and the remaining 26% mountainous.
• The soils were formed largely from calcareous rocks of the Mesozoic Era and from volcanic materials deposited during Quaternary eruptions, with the oldest geological formation represented by Triassic limestones.
• Cretaceous limestones are particularly widespread and form, among other features, the Monti Ausoni and the Monti Aurunci, while Liassic and Jurassic limestones occur extensively at, for example, Monte Circeo.
• Three broad soil groups can be distinguished: ancient calcareous sedimentary soils in the Apennine chains and in the Lepini–Ausoni–Aurunci ranges; recent sediments of marls and sandstones in the hilly zones; and volcanic soils on Pleistocene deposits with yellowish sands and greyish clays.
• The vineyards are cultivated between 20 and 1,000 metres above sea level, with a general aspect oriented towards the west and south-west.
• The temperate zone encompasses the Reatine Apennines, the Lepini, Ausoni, and Aurunci ranges, and the peaks of the Colli Albani, with abundant rainfall of up to 1,614 mm and a mean minimum temperature in the coldest month that can fall below 0 °C.

• Vine cultivation in Lazio dates back to the Etruscans and subsequently to the Romans, who learned viticultural and winemaking techniques from the Etruscans as far back as the age of kings.
• Two vine-training systems coexisted in the area: the Greek free-standing bush vine (alberello) supported by dead stakes, and the Etruscan festoon system trained over living supports such as elm, poplar, and maple.
• Among the region's native varieties, the white-berried Malvasia del Lazio, Bellone, and Moscato di Terracina stand out, as do the red-berried Abbuoto, Cesanese comune, Cesanese di Affile, and Nero buono.
• At the end of the nineteenth century, the Records of the Inquiry into the Condition of the Agricultural Classes of 1883 listed more than 200 distinct cultivar names documented across the communes of Lazio.
• The PGI 'Lazio' was recognised by Ministerial Decree of 22 November 1995.

• The white wines display balanced chemical and physical characteristics, with varietal aromas predominating on both the nose and palate, showing complexity and balance.
• The red wines are still and full-bodied, with balanced chemical and physical characteristics and varietal aromas predominating on both the nose and palate.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• Regional grape register (PDF) — lazio
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-IT-A0771