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Region: Lazio
Zone:

Marino DOC

If you have ever visited Rome, you are probably familiar with the Ciampino airport, located just southwest of the Italian capital, which is quite near the Marino DOC wine zone. The vineyards cover areas in the municipalities of Rome, Ciampino and Castel Gandolfo.

Previously, Marino DOC produced only one white wine, which, incidentally, had the same mixture of grapes as the Frascati DOC. One had to be either a great local patriot, an oenologist, or a rather unusual wine specialist to taste the difference.

Marino obtained its DOC in 1970, but nevertheless, it has lived its life in the shadow of its neighboring wines from Frascati and Castelli Romani DOC. A regulation change in 2003 resuscitated the zone, when permission was given to produce single varietal wines, as well as other variations, when it comes to white wine.

If you happen to be in these parts of the country on the first Sunday of October, in full grape harvest, do not miss out on visiting the city, as the famous festival Sagra dell’Uva is held at that time. A good way of killing time is to get a wine glass and stick around the center of Marino, where white wine will flow from the city fountains instead of the more neutral liquid water.

You should seek Fontana dei Mori in particular, where wine plays that day partly in the memory of the old year, but especially to honor Admiral Marcantonio Colonna (1835-1885), who triumphantly returned to Marino with his 260 “Marinesi” soldiers from the historic naval battle of Lepanto, on October 7th 1571, when the Ottoman fleet was defeated, preventing the Turks from continuing their expansion into southern Europe. This was a very significant and happy moment for these parts of Italy.

It should be mentioned that Pope Gregory XIII apparently had limited faith in the Creator’s abilities, as he appointed Admiral Colonna as “Captain-General of the Church” just after the sea battle. Just to make sure.

As previously mentioned, in Marino DOC there are dry and sweet, sparkling and still white wines.

Read more about the wines from Marino DOC by clicking i the top menu in the right side.