Roma is one of the newest DOC’s and the approval for DOC came in November 2011.

Roma DOC is located in the Lazio region, and if the appellation is new, this area is been know for the its quality of the wines since the 800B.C. when the Etruscan were living in this region.

The history of the wine is Lazio has a lot of up and down:

In the nearby port of Ostia, wine exportation was very profitable business for merchants, but when the Roman Empire began to crumble (3^rd-4^thcentury AD), there were political and administrative issues that led to the growing sector experiencing decline due to high taxes.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the church, through its bishops, monks, religious orders and prosperous nobility, was given an important attribution with regard to the preservation and the improvement of the area’s wine related heritage. Wine demand increased with the influence of the church, and far from insignificant amounts of the alcoholic fluid were consumed in the hallowed halls of the “Ager Vaticanus”, which could aptly excuse a strong alcohol intake on the numerous church holidays, where the liturgy coincidentally included “holy wine” (vino santo). Roma’s massive population growth also played a major role.

The importance of wine grew even further in the following years, thus the statutes of the city of Rome provided that a stranger was not entitled to citizenship if he did not own a house in Rome and a winery within a distance of three miles of the city. In 1692, the Accademia dei Vignaioli (Winegrowers Academy) was established, and Pope Alexander VII decided to extend the vineyards around Rome with 8,945 hectares.

Since it was the Pope’s task to take good care of his flock, there were many taverns and inns established to take care of the many incoming pious, but especially thirsty pilgrims. An edict required that only local wine (from Rome and its surroundings) could be sold in the taverns.

In 1854, Pope Pius IX established the University “l’Università dei mercanti di vino” (Wine Traders University), where they formed an Association of already existing associations of wine merchants, “Collegium Vinariorum Urbis”. One can see the coat of arms of the Association, “Vinea nostra floruit”, which today is kept in the courtyard of the Church of Santa Maria, in Trivio.

Main Grapes use in the Roma Doc Wine:

White Grape Varieties: Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, Malvasia, Trebbiano

Red Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Cesanese, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Syrah