he Olevano Romano Cesanese is produced in the Arcinazzo uplands, which are slightly to the south of the Cesanese di Affile territory.The little community of Olevano Romano, located at the center of the production zone, is not perhaps well known to many Italians but it has long been appreciated by a host of foreigners and by Germans in particular. They discovered the town through the paintings of the Tirolean artist Koch. As a result of his work, Olevano Romano is considered an obligatory stop for all those who are interested in the fine arts. A forest of ancient oaks that surrounds the town and that is known as La Serpentara is owned by the Prussian Academy of Fine Arts of Berlin and the hill of Baldi with its old hamlet is the property of the Academy of Fine Arts of Bonn.
The Cesanese di Olevano is obtained almost entirely from Cesanese di Affile, a local clone of Cesanese Comune that can also be used in the grape mixture. In keeping with the area's tradition, the production discipline permits the use of a small percentage of white grapes, principally for the purposes of boosting the wine's level of acidity and enhancing its odors. In the still flourishing tradition of the Roman inn, the Cesanese di Olevano Romano, along with that of Affile, enjoys its peak moment at the beginning of each year when it is awaited with great expectation and received with enormous appreciation by a clientele that prefers it sweet, or at least sweetish, in combination with the most classic dishes of popular cooking.
