erveteri wine, both red and white, has always been produced in the northernmost part of the province of Rome, in a district inhabited in ancient times by the Etruscans. The rich archaeological and artistic troves found in the area indicate clearly the important role played by vine cultivation and the consumption of wine, in the lives of its ancient inhabitants. Everywhere they flourished, the Etruscans applied the training system known as "vite maritata," wherein the grape vines were trained to grow with trees as live supports. This is a practice that is still widely followed in many parts of central Italy.
In recent decades, small percentages of Tocai and Verdicchio grape varieties were introduced along the classic strains, Trebbiano and Malvasia, cultivated throughout the winemaking areas of Latium, to produce Cerveteri Bianco.
The Cerveteri Rosso is obtained from a combination of the most classic red-grape varieties of central Italy, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Cesanese.
In the sixties and seventies, it was a general custom in the area to train the vines in the "tendone" system, but since the early eighties, a reduction in consumption and increased emphasis from consumers on buying products of high quality, have led wine producers to convert their vineyards to training systems. While these processes may produce less wine, they have fostered experimentation with new varieties.
This page was written by Stefano Milioni. Background image and most photos in this section courtesy of Giuliano Bugialli, all right reserved (see Copyright and Credits).
erveteri wine, both red and white, has always been produced in the northernmost part of the province of Rome, in a district inhabited in ancient times by the Etruscans. The rich archaeological and artistic troves found in the area indicate clearly the important role played by vine cultivation and the consumption of wine, in the lives of its ancient inhabitants. Everywhere they flourished, the Etruscans applied the training system known as "vite maritata," wherein the grape vines were trained to grow with trees as live supports. This is a practice that is still widely followed in many parts of central Italy.
