Cesanese

The Story

Cesanese is Lazio's forgotten treasure—Rome's only serious red grape. While tourists drink Frascati, insiders seek Cesanese from the hills southeast of Rome. It's herbal, spicy, genuinely interesting.

Insider Story

Rome has no wine identity. Frascati (white) is pleasant but forgettable. Tourists drink whatever's cheap. For centuries, Romans drank wine from elsewhere—Tuscany, Piedmont, the South.

Cesanese changes this. Growing in the Ciociaria hills (Piglio, Olevano Romano, Affile), it produces reds with genuine character—sour cherry, wild herbs, Mediterranean scrub.

The grape nearly vanished. By 1990, fewer than 100 hectares remained. Young farmers left for Rome; old vineyards were abandoned.

Damiano Ciolli led the revival. In the 1990s-2000s, he started making serious Cesanese, proving the grape could be world-class. His Cirsium bottling ($40-60) opened critics' eyes.

Now Cesanese has DOCG status (Cesanese del Piglio) and a small cult following. But production remains tiny—perhaps 500,000 bottles annually. Finding it outside Rome requires effort.

Technical Deep Dive

Cesanese produces medium-bodied reds with moderate tannins (1,800-2,500 mg/L) and fresh acidity (5.5-6.5 g/L). Alcohol ranges 12-13.5%.

Flavor profile: sour cherry, wild herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), Mediterranean scrub, tobacco, spice. The herbal character is unmistakable—it tastes like the Roman hills.

Two main clones exist: Cesanese di Affile (superior, lower-yielding) and Cesanese Comune (more productive, less interesting). Affile is the one to seek.

Winemaking varies: some producers use stainless steel for freshness; others use oak for structure. Extended maceration (10-20 days) extracts herbal compounds.

The volcanic and limestone soils of Piglio and Olevano produce the most complex wines. Look for DOCG Cesanese del Piglio.

Industry Secrets

Cesanese pairs perfectly with Roman cuisine—pasta all'amatriciana, cacio e pepe, abbacchio. The herbal notes echo the herbs in Roman cooking.

Damiano Ciolli's wines are the benchmark. His Cirsium and Silene bottlings prove Cesanese's potential. Other serious producers: Coletti Conti, Casale della Ioria.

The grape makes excellent rosato (rosé). Cesanese rosato is dry, herbal, food-friendly—perfect for Roman summers.

Value is exceptional: $15-30 buys serious wine from a unique terroir. But distribution is limited—most stays in Lazio.

More red grapes

• Chambourcin
• Chidiriotiko
• Ciliegiolo
• Cinsault
• Colorino