Rome, the capital of Italy, surely one of the countries in the world most famous for its cuisine, has much to offer the food and wine lover in search of new experiences, perhaps on a Rome wine tasting tour.
This city, already a major gastronomical centre in ancient times, was highly influenced by ancient Greek culture and later also incorporated many provincial habits and cooking techniques into its cuisine. At that time, sweet white wine was the wine of choice, with a portion of the wine being boiled to enhance its sweetness, or maybe lead or honey being added; the wine was often diluted with seawater. Perhaps not to our modern tastes. I doubt you’ll get to taste such a concoction when wine tasting in Rome, Italy.
In the Renaissance, Rome also proved a magnate for many of the most skilled chefs of the time, who were drawn to work at the papal court, thus gaining a reputation for sophisticated cuisine. Modern times has seen Italian food, wine and culture spread across the globe. There are few who haven’t eaten pizza or pasta of some kind, or tried Soave, Chianti, Barolo or Frascati. Wine tasting in Rome will enable you to try some old favourites or try something new.
Wine tasting in Rome, Italy, is likely to include visiting some of Rome’s enoteche or tasting the wine with some excellent local food in the many trattorie, where you can pair your Carciofi alla Giudia (deep-fried artichokes) with some crisp, dry Frascati, or your Saltimbocca alla Romana (veal escalopes cooked with white wine, sage and prosciutto) with some light red made from the local Cesanese. The braver hearts may head to Testaccio to do their wine tasting tour. Rome’s most original and traditional fare can be found here in the trade and slaughterhouse area, which you can maybe wash down with some hearty reds from further afield, such as a Chianti or Sangiovese. Offal is king here, as well as stewed lamb intestines, pig’s trotters or perhaps the most popular of all Roman dishes, coda della vaccinara, an oxtail stew that can be found on all Roman menus.
After a tour of Rome’s many sights, one of the best ways to finish the day is to head to one the city’s traditional areas to do some wine tasting. Rome has many such areas, but one of the most attractive in which to while away an evening is Trastevere, meaning on the other side of Tiber. Rome wine tasting may also take you into the Monti district, close to the Colosseum, yet remarkably tourist free. Mingle with locals here while you do your wine tasting in Rome. Tours should take in some of the local trattorie and bars tucked away in narrow streets and dark corners. Formerly a rather seedy area, the district is now home to the young, creative crowd.
Escaping the heat of the city and doing some wine tasting near Rome will allow you try the crisp dry white wines from the Castelli Romani, such as Frascati, Marino and Velletri, just three of the nine DOCs clustered in the Colli Albani. The wines are generally a blend of one of two Trebbianos and one of two Malvasias with some other varieties allowed depending on the DOC. However, as styles vary widely due to the loose regulations, you’ll need to discover them for yourselves.
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