I returned to Monte Porzio Catone for a wine masterclass and was amazed by the regeneration of the area surrounding the new Wine Museum. New location and new management. Well done.
I'd stayed at a drab museum in the center of the old town that looked only to the past, but instead I found myself in a vibrant area full of young people. A venue that balances modernity and tradition, a look to the past but with a focus on the future.
The Wine Museum in Monte Porzio Catone is divided into two sections: a more historic section with instruments from the past, which also houses a modern art gallery, and a small historic building dedicated to socializing and wine-related gatherings.
The historical exhibition is housed in an ancient tunnel carved into the rock that once served as a route for the Rome-Velletri train. The space is designed to recall the past while honoring and promoting today's winemakers.
In the old train station, the first floor and garden are dedicated to sales, with a well-stocked wine shop featuring wines from Lazio, while the upper floor hosts a space for masterclasses and meetings.
Chapeau!
The wine shop staff organized De Gustibus, an event featuring numerous stands by young people from southern Rome who run wineries but also provide quality catering. The garden also features numerous corners offering information and entertainment, as well as show cooking sessions on food and wine culture.
We visited our winemaking friends from the Castelli di Castelli and took part in a masterclass featuring three producers: our friend Valerio of Spino Bianco, who presented Razzaccolo made from Trebbiano and Cacchione grapes; Tomei with his Ritornato made from Ottone grapes; and Federico of Artico with Amaltea and an interesting vertical tasting of Trebbiano from 2019 and 2023.
Valentina Umilio, the brilliant organizer, wanted to focus the meeting on "Salt and Roots": the new routes of Lazio Wine. She selected grape varieties grown near the sea and influenced by its microclimate. It was a fascinating selection, and her stories took us deep into the aromas of the wines.
A surprise was a Cacchione from Valerio, a freshly bottled, "out of competition" wine that undergoes a very long maceration on the skins. Valerio and Maria had met at the Lazio Region's IAP course and have been friends ever since, exchanging advice on how to grow their respective businesses.
They're enthusiastic about experimenting and rediscovering native varieties from the past. Lazio's viticulture is young and beautiful, like my daughter Maria, who inspired us to create Donna Vittori Borgo Agricolo. And their enthusiasm has led them to grow organically and biodynamically, to revive local varieties, and to invent new ways to engage their friends with DJ sets at sunset among the vineyards.
Long live Lazio and long live the young winemakers of Lazio!
Wine Museum in Monteporzio
Follow us