Welcome, you are on the Cesanese wine route!
We are in the northernmost corner of High Ciociaria, in a verdant landscape between hills and mountains with rocky sections. Here Cesanese del Piglio wine is produced, a wine with a thousand-year history of winemaking that has come down to the present day from the ancient Romans.
It is an area sheltered by Mount Scalambra and the hills of Paliano, Serrone, Anagni and Acuto. Thanks to the traditional cultivation techniques handed down over the centuries, refined in the modern and contemporary era by scientific progress, the Cesanese del Piglio wine, already DOC in '73, since 2008 is the only Lazio red wine to have obtained the Denomination of Controlled Origin and Guaranteed (DOCG).
The Cesanese del Piglio Docg wine is obtained from two native vines: the Cesanese d'Affile (more valuable) and the common Cesanese, a variety of unknown origins but which has always been present in the countryside of the province.
Legend has it that it was a teenager from Piglio who stole this vine at night and planted it in the area. The production area extends into the territories of Piglio and Serrone, and part of the territory of Paliano, Anagni and Acuto. The vineyards are located in the countryside of the aforementioned towns at about 500 meters above sea level, in slightly steep terrain (10% slope), an area that extends for about 15,000 hectares.
The hilly geology of the production area, and the south-west exposure, allow a good exposure of the rows and combine to determine an airy, bright environment with a soil that naturally drains from stagnant water. Despite the presence of calcareous subsoils, the soils are poor in iron. They are therefore lands that are not very suitable for intensive exploitation, but suitable for quality viticulture.
The vineyards are exposed to a climate characterized by a good average annual temperature, with little summer rain and dryness in the months of July and August when the fruit begins to ripen. They also receive excellent sunshine in the months of September and October, which allows the grapes to ripen slowly and completely.
Cesanese del Piglio DOCG wine has a ruby red color with violet reflections. It has an intense aroma with floral and fruity scents (berries and drupes), a soft, dry flavor with a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. Cesanese del Piglio Docg should be tasted at a temperature of 16/18 degrees. It goes very well with lamb and roasted red meats and in particular with the typical dishes of Roman cuisine.
There are 3 types of Cesanese del Piglio DOCG: Base, Superior and Riserva.
The Superior type has the same characteristics as the basic Cesanese del Piglio, but has a minimum alcohol content of 13% compared to the 12% of the basic version. Furthermore, it can be put on the market from July 1 of the year following the harvest (February for the basic version).
If subjected to an aging period of no less than 20 months, it can boast the title of Riserva.
The Consorzio di Tutela del Cesanese del Piglio takes care of enhancing and spreading the knowledge of this native vine, which is establishing itself as one of the most interesting and promising in central Italy.
The Cesanese wine route helps to provide interesting itineraries for wine tourism enthusiasts, which allow you to discover the beauties of the area and taste excellent wines.
There is great dedication on the part of the growers to their Cesanese, raised and raised as if it were a child. There is the passion to bring an ever better wine out of the vineyards. Even the small winemakers who work in the vineyard have never abandoned their small production. There is an attachment to the land and to this historic vine.
After a careful harvest and careful vinification, the wine rests in small oak barrels. The refinement in the bottle allows the maturation to be completed, returning an intense ruby red wine, structured with all the aromas that this vine can offer.
We are talking about Cesanese del Piglio Docg, write down this name and… enjoy!
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