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 Zagarolo wine
Zagarolo - Photo (c)
Tommaso Tessarolo
Located among the Colli Albani and the Monti Prenestini, on a low hill
(100-400 meters above the sea level), the production’s zone of the Zagarolo
is, according to the rules, the perfect place for wine-making. The more
distant Monti Tiburtini together with the more near Monti Prenestini protect
this area from winds coming from north and north-east, but let the ‘ponentino’
in, a wind mitigating the hot roman summer. This zone is protected southward
from the Colli Albani. Its particular position therefore is favorable to
the cultivation of vineyards. The history of viticulture is rooted in the
foundation of Zagarolo and Gallicano, back in the Middle Ages, even if the
vineyards’ cultivation flourished again only at the beginning of the past
century after they had been strongly hit by phylloxera.
The wine even if generally is sweet, but its commonest variety is dry, very
harmonic, crisp, that drinks well, particularly its more accurate
productions. This to satisfy the consumers needs, that drink this wine in
roman trattorias and public houses, where it is brought in casks.
The production territory consists of Gallicano, part of Zagarolo, and of San
Cesareo. It has to be noted that in the general DOC of the Castelli Romani,
the Gallicano territory has been excluded and only that of Zagaralo belongs
to it.
The vineyards are characterized by the varieties: Malvasia di Candia, whose
prolific production is refined with Trebbiano Toscano, Yellow Trebbiano, and
Green Trebbiano to make it easily storable; and it is aromatized by the
Malvasia puntinata. The Bellone and the Bonvino can be also used.
The cultivation methods are characterized by the Tendone, as it has already
been used largely to produce grapes to be eaten. More rarely there are
cultivation in rows, both cordon or gouyot.
The sale of this wine is still linked to the tradition, when hosts went
directly on the production territory and with the help of a broker, bought
the wine, sometimes paying it in advance. To guarantee this operation it was
sufficient an handshake and countermarking with a chalk - to write the buyer
initials - the chosen casks.
Even if nowadays the new technologies determined a standardization of wine
production, it is the producer, who brings the wine in casks directly to the
trattorias and public houses of Rome. Sometimes, consumers reach this area
to buy wine, and to make a pleasant trip.
Courtesy of
www.stradadeivinideicastelliromani.com
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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