Lazio Archives - Buonissimo

DISCOVER LAZIO

ICCO Canada — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 02:27:43 +0000

ROMA

Obviously, the Grand Tour starts in Rome, the Eternal City with its monuments, churches, squares, villas, gardens, thermae, great expositions and important events that represent countless opportunities for an encounter with the traces of history and the spectacle of the people. The spell of millenarian history and Christianity this city offers attracts many visitors from all over the world, and they are increasing in number since the new Pontiff has been elected, thanks to the great popularity of Pope Francis among people. The extraordinary riches of the artistic, historical and religious heritage of Rome make the city one of the most important international tourist destinations worldwide. Among the inestimable monumental treasures through which Rome has always been famous throughout the world, may it last to mention the Coliseum, the Forum Romanum, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel, the Capitol Hill and the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II. More recently the Eternal City has been endowed with avantgarde cultural facilities such as the Auditorium Parco della Musica, designed by Renzo Piano, in which the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia operates; the Opera House; the Maxxi, designed by Zaha Hadid, which holds the National Museum of 21st-century Art.

The vast range of accommodation options offers the possibility to stay overnight choosing from economical B&B offers or housing with families up to high-end luxury hotels and historical dwellings. Furthermore we should not forget the traditional Roman cuisine, based on rural and peasant ingredients which are prepared following homemade recipes. Over the centuries this cooking has created tasty dishes which are famous all around the world, such as Bucatini amatriciana, Spaghetti carbonara and Penne arrabbiata.

Near Rome, on the slopes of the Alban Hills, are the Castles of Rome, small towns set out in a horseshoe shape with two volcanic craters occupied by the Lakes of Albano and Nemi. Tivoli with Villa d’Este, renowned for its water garden and fountains, and with Villa Gregoriana and Villa Adriana, Frascati with the villas of the cardinals Aldobrandini and Falconieri, Subiaco with the characteristic and magnificent Benedictine abbeys, and the Lake of Bracciano are essential stops to explore the territory of the province of Rome.

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Latina

The tour continues south of the capital, in the lower Lazio, towards the province of Latina which is characterized by a rich seaside called Riviera of Ulysses. The hills descending towards the sea, towards the coast of myths and the towns of white houses with sky-blue shutters, are a hymn to the mare nostrum, its richness and vitality.

From the medieval village of Fossanova with its beautiful abbey, by the enchanting Landscape Garden of Ninfa and the medieval villages of Latina, we arrive at the long sand beaches, the salt lakes, at Sabaudia with its dunes, along which lies the natural reserve Parco Nazionale del Circeo, and finally at the Temple of Jupiter Anxur in Terracina. From here onwards, cliffs alternate with amazing bays, from the Grotta del Turco until Gaeta, a sea, culture and art town with the famous Montagna Spaccata. The Gulf of Gaeta continues and from Formia, seaside residence of the Romans where the Tomb of Cicero lies, we leave for the “Pearls of the Mediterranean”, the Pontine Islands (Ponza, Ventotene, Palmarola, Zannone and Santo Stefano). Then come Minturno, with the Roman amphitheatre, and the Baths of Suio.

On one side the Cape Circeo, Sabaudia and Terracina, on the other the Imperial Coast which showcases the most beautiful seaside resorts down to the Gulf of Gaeta, Formia and Minturno, and the Pontian Islands in front, which as early as in Roman times were chosen by emperors for their vacation. But the province of Latina also consists of that area called Terra imperiale which lies inland and develops along itineraries going back to the ancient pilgrim route Via Francigena, up to the reserves and natural oases, the Monti Lepini, from Campodimele to the charming town Sermoneta along the itinerary of the towns of Latina, Aprilia, Pontinia and Sabaudia. And along the Route of wines, olive oil and tastes, the territory also offers an itinerary which discovers the ancient local ingredients, today remote and almost forgotten, mixed with great knowledge to create traditional dishes such as the Tiella. Worth mentioning are, among many others, the Gaeta olives, celery of Sperlonga, lentils of Ventotene, the DOC wines which Romans already appreciated and which are today represented by wineries that are internationally renown and have won international awards, and last not least the extra-virgin olive oil DOP from the Pontine Hills.

FROSINONE

From here we head to Ciociaria, land of myths, legends, art and culture, archaeological sites, majestic circles of fortification walls, Roman arches, churches and abbeys, medieval villages, grottoes, lakes and rivers, wonderful baths, excellent

cooking and wine, breathtaking panoramas and a green and luxuriant nature. The Itinerary of Taste begins with the Cesanese del Piglio which was the first wine in Lazio to receive the DOCG label, and the Cabernet di Atina DOC. And then there are the bread and cheese varieties, buffalo mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, truffles, Cannellino beans, Pontecorvo sweet peppers and home-made pasta. These are only some of the most delicious, unique and typical products of this authentic empire of taste.

You must not miss the Roman amphitheatre in Frosinone; the religious tour with the Abbeys of Montecassino, Trisulti and Casamari; the Springs of Fiuggi; Anagni, the town of Boniface VIII, the Pope of the first Jubilee, and the other fortified towns Alatri, Atina, Arpino and Ferentino, which are completely surrounded by preRoman polygonal walls and called Cyclopean cities by popular tradition; the Castle of Fumone where Pope Celestin V died; the subterraneous Ciociaria with the Pastena Caves (one of the most remarkable cave systems in Italy), the Collepardo Caves (fascinating calcareous formations showing human features) and the Pozzo d’Antullo (a sinkhole in the Monti Ernici which is 60 meters deep); the reserve Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo; the national reserve of the Lake of Posta Fibreno with an amazing biodiversity and a floating island; the Lake of San Giovanni Incarico and the Lake of Monteleone Sabino (RI), Santuario di Santa Vittoria Canterno (both regional reserves). Last not least, the Monti Ernici, Monti Lepini, Monti Ausoni and Monti Aurunci and the Amaseno Valley. But you cannot leave Ciociaria without visiting the places of St. Thomas Aquinas’ youth: Roccasecca, Aquino and Monte San Giovanni Campano.

RIETI

From the province of Frosinone we move towards the Reatino area, the geographical center of Italy, to admire the beauty of the Abbey of Farfa and above all to make a stop in the Land of Sanctuaries with the four Franciscan monasteries along the “Path of Saint Francis”: Poggio Bustone, Greccio, Fonte Colombo and La Foresta. In Rieti, Umbilicus Italiae (the exact centre of Italy), do not miss a visit of the Flavio Vespasiano Theater, and do not forget the castles of the region. The medieval villages of Fara in Sabina, Cittaducale and Poggio Mirteto with the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta are also very interesting. The intact nature with green hills, freckled with dark spots of forests, the majestic snow-clad summits such as Monte Terminillo, the limpid Velino river, the charming Lakes Lungo and Ripasottile, Salto and Turano, and the thermal springs make Reatino a territory where environment mixes with the mystic atmospheres of the Franciscan monasteries and the ancient traditions and cultures of the medieval villages and castles alternated by endless olive groves. This is where the most important product of the region is born, the extra-virgin olive oil DOP Sabina.

VITERBO

Our discovery tour of Lazio ends with the province of Viterbo, in a region called Tuscia. Its history has been written by Etruscans, Romans, popes and artists, and it is known as a pleasant and manycolored area which extends from the coast to the Maremma region, from hills to chestnut woods, from the slopes of the Monti Cimini to the Tiber Valley, including two lakes of volcanic origin. A real oasis of tranquil life, where biodiversity is a value that is actively promoted and safeguarded.

In the city of Viterbo you can find historical evidence of different periods (especially in the medieval quarter San Pellegrino and the Papal Palace), and two thousand years of Etruscan civilization pop up in every corner of the province. A must are the Renaissance Palazzi and Villas: Villa Lante in Bagnaia, the Orsini Castle in Vignanello and Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola; the Sacred Woods of Bomarzo and the tiny medieval village Civita di Bagnoregio, the “dying city” atop a plateau of friable volcanic tuff in constant danger of destruction as its edges fall off.

From an archaeological point of view the impressive remains of the Etruscan culture are very important. They are particularly evident in Tarquinia, Tuscania, Vulci, Castel d’Asso and Blera. Other remarkable destinations are the village and the Cistercian Abbey of San Martino al Cimino, furthermore Montefiascone and the Lakes of Bolsena and Vico. The magic of the Etruscan world can be experienced in a stop in Tarquinia for its fascinating museum which shows archaeological finds from this ancient and rich civilization. A few kilometers (entering the province of Rome now), and we reach Civitavecchia with its lively port and the Monti della Tolfa in the background. At short distance there are Santa Marinella and the charming castle of Santa Severa. Now we are at the gates of Rome, which is the ideal departure and return point for the Grand Tour of Lazio.

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Vini Doc Roma

ICCO Canada — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 02:20:43 +0000

From the origins to the Etruscan settlements and the Roman Empire, wine production on the territory has accompanied people’s lives in their food, culture, and religion. While the Imperial Age saw increased wine production as the most suitable lands – the volcanic soil of the hills of Latium, of Caere, and of the Sabina area – were planted with vineyards, its fall between the fifth and tenth centuries AD cause a drastic reduction. The Church regulated the production of the vineyards in Rome and its surrounding territories, and conserved this heritage around monasteries and abbeys, increasing its power when Rome began to repopulate and the demand for wine rose accordingly. Under the pontificate of Paul III at the turn of the sixteenth century, the Roman market directed its attention towards the Castelli Romani, Sabine, and Monti Prenestini areas, because the so-called “romanesco” wine (wine produced within seven miles from the Capitoline Hill, and in particular on the Janiculum, outside the Gate of San Pancrazio, in the Vatican and Monte Mario, and in many other vineyards whose names have remained in Roman toponymy) was not enough to meet the city’s consumption. And also because their quality and characteristics made these wines particularly appreciated. The diversification between romanesco wine and wine of the Castelli Romani area is attested until the nineteenth century, after which time Rome’s urban growth eroded the terrains for vineyards and production grew more distant from the consumption areas, concentrating in those zones that, moreover, had been recognized as most suited: the Castelli Romani, Cerveteri, and the Sabina area. Over the centuries, wine-growing has therefore maintained its role as the territory’s main farming activity, down to our days and to the creation of the Roma Doc denomination, established by a production Regulation, with the purposes of increasing knowledge of it and its spread worldwide.

WINES

The “Roma Doc” denomination may be borne by seven types of white wine (“bianco,” “Classico bianco,” “Bellone,” “Classico Bellone,” “Malvasia puntinata,” “Classico Malvasia puntinata,” and “Romanella spumante”); two types of rosé wine (“rosato” and “Classico rosato”); and four types of red wine (“rosso,” “Classico rosso,” “rosso Riserva,” and “Classico rosso Riserva”). The “classico” specification is allowed for wines of the most ancient area of origin, which is to say that closest to the urban territory of Rome, except for the Romanella “spumante” type and the sweet version.

Varieties

The varieties cultivated in the denomination’s geographic area are suitable for making the wines: Malvasia del Lazio, Bellone, Bombino bianco, Trebbiano giallo e verde for white wines; Montepulciano, Cesanese di Affile, Cesanese comune, and Sangiovese for red wines. (Other varieties with white and red grapes, suitable for cultivation for the Lazio Region, may be used for up to a maximum quantity of 15% in the blends).

Viticulture

For new farms as well, the forms of growing, the layouts, and the pruning systems are traditional, and are established for the purpose of obtaining wine production yields within the limits set by the regulations (84 hl/ha for whites and 70 hl/ha for reds and rosés).

Within these parameters, each wine cellar determines its own viticultural rules, fostering and valorising their potential for the finest production that can be obtained from a nature that has already been highly generous.

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Olive oil from Latium

ICCO Canada — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 01:55:37 +0000

Latium holds four extra virgin olive oils protected by a Designation of Origin: Sabina, Canino, Tuscia and Colline Pontine. From 2021, there is also a Protected Geographical Indication: Olio di Roma.

An overall picture showing the considerable dynamism of the regional olive oil sector, with about 82,000 hectares of land and an annual production of about 12,000 tons of oil, in the last years influenced by the general production loss.

A choice that takes into account the marked typicality of the regional products, the territorial macrorealities that have been able to find excellence in local areas,

Nowadays, all Latium provinces are involved in renovating their olive oil tradition, looking for opportunities of development in a market that finally seems to be sensitive to quality, recognition, and origin thanks to a new generation of consumers able to appreciate the differences among cultivars and interested to production methods.

In the Latium region there are over 300 oil mills, scattered throughout the region. A third of the oil mills still have traditional grindstones, whereas the remaining ones are fitted with modern continuous cycle oil presses (hammer crushers and centrifugal extraction).

Olive growing is very widespread and established within the region and offers ample margins of growth in terms of quality and quantity, but it still suffers from fragmentation of land and limited commercialization, with top quality products struggling to impose themselves outside the Roman market.

One of the main limitations to the regional olive oil sector’s potential is represented by the extreme fragmentation of the olive oil production in all its stages.

The majority of oil mills are very small and, during bad production seasons, they tend to remain closed; moreover, most of the oil produced is consumed at home or sold to local clients.

1. Sabina PDO extra virgin olive oil

The olive growing vocation of Sabina is based on a century-old tradition and on paedoclimatic conditions. The terrain, in particular, ranges from brown calcareous to dark Mediterranean soil. The climate is normally temperate and rarely reaches very high or very low temperatures. Olive growing is also favoured by hilly slopes and southern exposure, as well as altimetry, ranging from 200 metres in the Lower Sabina to 500 metres in the Upper Sabina.

However, the most important factor influencing the quality of this oil is the variety portfolio, with several varieties finding in Sabina their ideal growing conditions.The PDO Sabina product specification allows the use of Carboncella, Leccino, Raja, Pendolino, Frantoio, Moraiolo, Olivastrone, Salviana, Olivago, and Rosciola for minimum 75%. Other varieties can be used up to 25%. The production area includes 14 municipalities in the province of Rome and 32 municipalities in the province of Rieti.

In the extraction stage only mechanical and physical methods can be applied, so as to preserve the original characteristics of the olives. A peculiarity of this oil is its low acidity, reaching a maximum of 0.6%. The colour is golden yellow, with green tints in younger oils. The aroma is fruity and the flavour is fruity, velvety, uniform, aromatic, and slightly pungent. The bitter note is pronounced in younger oils, but tends to fade away over time.

2. Canino PDO extra virgin olive oil

Another protected regional extra virgin olive oil is Canino, produced in the province of Viterbo and registered since 1996. It is produced in the lands once feuds of the Torlonia family, an area vocated to olive growing since Etrurian times including the municipalities of Canino, Arlena, Cellere, Farnese, Ischia di Castro, Tessennano, and part of Tuscania and Montalto di Castro; the total cultivated surface is about 30,000 hectares. The main varieties are Canino, a local olive variety, Leccino, Pendolino, Maurino, and Frantoio, either in purity or blended. The acidity, ranging from 0.15% to 0.5%, is one of the lowest among Italian extra virgin olive oils. The oil has a green color with golden hues, a fruity odor, and a pronounced flavor, slightly pungent when young and with a bitter aftertaste.

3. Tuscia PDO extra virgin olive oil

The third protected regional extra virgin olive oil is Tuscia, registered in 2005. The designation refers to the oil produced in 52 municipalities in the province of Viterbo.

The local Canino, a small and slow ripening olive variety, allows the production of a low-acidity oil (maximum 0.5%) with a green color, a fruity odor, and a pronounced flavor. Other varieties include Frantoio, Moraiolo, and Leccino, as well as Maurino and Pendolino.

4. Colline Pontine PDO extra virgin olive oil

The Colline Pontine extra virgin olive oil, that has obtained the Designation of Origin in 2010, is produced in the province of Latina and is characterised by a yellow-green colour more or less intense and a pronounced fruitiness; it also has a fruity taste with bitter and pungent notes.

The olive oil is produced from the following varieties: Itrana from 50% to 100%, Frantoio and Leccino up to 50%. Other varieties may be used up to a maximum of 10%. Olive growing and milling must take place in the area mentioned in the product specification. Production cannot exceed 100 kg per plant.

Olives are picked by hand or mechanically and nets are used to avoid the crushing of olives fallen to the ground.

Olive milling takes place within 48 hours of harvesting and only physical and mechanical means can be used. The kneading stage must take place at 33°C for a maximum of 50 minutes. The oil yield must not exceed 27%.

5. Olio di Roma PGI extra virgin olive oil

The Olio di Roma extra virgin olive oil, that has obtained the Protected Geographical Indication in August 2021, is the most recent of the region’s olive oil designations. Production includes the entire province of Viterbo and numerous municipalities in the province of Frosinone, Latina, Rieti and Rome.

The product specification allows the use of Itrana, Carboncella, Moraiolo, Caninese, Salviana, Rosciola, Marina, Frantoio and Leccino olive varieties for a minimum of 70%. Other varieties are allowed up to a maximum of 30%.

The oil is characterized by a color varying from green to golden yellow. The fruity odor varies in intensity with evident notes of tomato and/or artichoke and/or almond and/or grassy. The flavor is characterized by vegetal hints, bitter and spicy notes of varying intensity that can be associated with notes of tomato and/or artichoke and/or almond and/or grassy.

6. Other extra virgin olive oils produced in the Latium region

In the province of Rome, apart from Soratte, other productions are located in the territories of Castelli Romani and Terre Tiburtine.

In the province of Frosinone, the majority of the production is located in the Upper Ciociaria, particularly in the municipalities of Paliano, Piglio, and Serrone, where typical central Italian olive varieties are grown (Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo, Rosciola).

In the province of Latina, important production areas are located at the foot of the Lepini Mounts, around the town of Cori in particular, and in the Itri and Minturno territories; the olive varieties grown are: Frantoio, Leccino, and the local Itrana variety.

Finally, in the Agro Pontino, besides Itrana, also the local Minutella and Vallanella varieties are grown.

Discover some of the Lazio EVO oil excellences

The Rome EVO Award has a rich history of recognizing true excellence. We invite you to find out more about the remarkable individuals and companies who have built this legacy, showcasing a journey defined by innovation, leadership, and commitment to Italian excellence.

Click HERE to watch the videos featuring the different oil producers who have been honoured.

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