Lazio Flashcards
Why did Lazio lag behind in the quality revolution that other Italian regions underwent in the late 20th century?
The close proximity of the farms to the city of Roma left little incentive to work towards quality by lowering yields, since producers could consistently sell everything that they grew and bottled.
The history of Lazio, and that of Roma, is divided into which 2 main periods?
- Roman Empire
- era of the Papal States
First Roma and Lazio were the power hub of the Roman Empire, then with the birth of the Papal States, they became the beating heart of the Catholic Church.
Who were the original known inhabitants of Lazio?
The Italic Latini tribe.
When did the Etruscans move into Lazio?
Largely living in the northern and eastern territories of Toscana and Umbria, they initially settled to northern portion of this region then advanced to occupy the entire territory by the 5th century BC.
When was Roma originally founded?
Around 750 BC; as a union of various Latin and Italic villages.
The metropolis and its power expanded into the surrounding territory of Lazio.
When did the Roman Kingdom become the Roman Republic?
By the 6th century BC; this represented the strongest military and political force on the peninsula. From a position of strength, it began to annex all neighboring territories.
When did the Republic become the Roman Empire?
In 27 BC, under Augustus.
How much area did the Roman Empire occupy by 117AD?
All of Western Europe (including Britain), a large part of Central and Eastern Europe plus large territories in Northern Africa and the Middle East. They controlled the Mediterranean Sea.
What happened to Lazio and Roma after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476AD?
This region, and the rest of the country, were left in a state of chaos.
Control was regained by the Catholic Church which grew in power and influence in the centuries that follower.
What happened to Lazio in the Middle Ages?
It became a sub-region of the Papal States and remained so until it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy in 1870.
Why was the incorporation of Lazio and Roma into the Kingdom of Italy significant?
It marked the end of the Risorgimento, the unification process that led to the formation of the modern-day country of Italy.
What is the capital of Lazio?
Roma; it is also the capital of Italy. The government and most of the important governmental institutions are located there.
Where is Lazio located?
This region lies in west-central Italy. It extends from the Central Apennines westward to the Tyrrhenian sea. Toscana lies to the northwest, Umbria to the north, Campania to the southeast, and Abruzzo is situated to the east opposite the Apennines.
Where is Vatican City located?
Within the city of Roma; this independent, walled enclave is a country in its own right.
What is the percentage of mountains, hills and plains in Lazio?
- 54% hills
- 26% mountains
- 20% plains
What are the topographical features of the mountains in Lazio?
The Central Apennines occupy the eastern and southeastern portions of the region.
In the northwest, there are three mountain ranges of volcanic origin: Vosini, Cimini, Sabatini. Their main craters are now lakes (respectively: Bolsena, Vico and Bracciano).
Southeast of Roma lies another volcanic mountain range: Colli Albani.
What are the topographical features of the plains in Lazio?
The largest plains are located in a coastal band running from Toscana to Campania. Once wetlands and swamps, these flatlands were drained and reclaimed.
The northern coastal plain forms the Maremma Laziale, the southern portion of the geographic and historic sub-region of Maremma that begins in Toscana.
The southern coastal plain encompasses the flatlands of Agro Pontino.
Name the rivers of Lazio.
- Tevere River: flows southwest from Umbria through central Lazio to empty into the Tyrrhenian Sea. Through its journey, it cuts through the flat Valle del Tevere (Tiber Valley) and the city of Roma.
What is the climate in Lazio?
Mediterranean near the coast but transitions to a Mediterranean with continental influces inland, especially in more mountainous areas at higher altitude.
There is a clear difference between the warm and humid coastal areas and the cooler, more temperate locations further inland where diurnal temperature swings are more pronounced.
How does rain fall across different regions in Lazio?
Rainfall decreases as you move from southeast to northwest across the region.
The Maremma Laziale receives the lowest amount of precipitation.
What soil types are there in Lazio?
The soils of this region are the result of a long and complex geologic evolution encompassing volcanic activity, sea incursion and withdrawal, and river flooding. Soils are complex but can be divided into 3 principal groupings:
* Volcanic: Largely found in the middle swath of land that runs southeast from Volsini to the Colli Albani
* Limestone: Predominantly found in the southern provinces of Latina and Frosinone.
* Clay-sandy: Largely located in the coastal areas and in the Tiber Valley; coastal clay-sands are of marine origin; river valley sediments are alluvial.
Is Lazio more dominantly planted to red or white varieties?
White grapes account for 70% of this region’s total area under vine.
Rank the grapes planted in Lazio from most widely planted to least.
- Malvasia Bianca di Candia (15%)
- Trebbiano Giallo (13%)
- Trebbiano Toscano (12%)
- Merlot (7%)
- Malvasia Bianca (6%)
- Sangiovese (5%)
- Montepulciano (4%)
- Malvasia del Lazio (3%)
- Cesanese (3%)
-
Malvasia Bianca Lunga (2%)
Others (30%)
Name the native and traditional white grape varieties of Lazio.
- Malvasia Bianca di Candia
- Trebbiano Giallo
- Trebbiano Toscano
- Malvasia del Lazio
Others:
* Malvasia Bianca Lunga
* Bombino Bianco
* Grechetto
* Moscato di Terracina
* Rossetto
* Bellone
* Ottonese
* Verdicchio (Trebbiano Verde)
* Malvasia Bianca
* Passerina
What is the most widely planted grape in Lazio?
Malvasia Bianca di Candia
This is part of the large Malvasia group. It is the most widely planted Malvasia in all of Italy, with Lazio boasting the largest number of plantings.
How does Malvasia Bianca di Candia fair in the vineyard?
This variety is vigorous and produces consistently abundant yields.
What are the characteristics of wines made from Malvasia Bianca di Candia?
Fairly neutral with a modest aromatic profile. They are moderate in acidity, full in body and rich in alcohol.
Which grape variety is traditional to the Castelli Romani wine area?
Trebbiano Giallo; part of its popularity stems from its high yields, but it also contributes body to blends.
Which variety from Lazio is locally known as Procanico?
Trebbiano Toscano; it is a significant component of many blends from this region.
How does Trebbiano Toscano fair in the vineyard?
This grape is vigorous and highly productive.
What does Trebbiano Toscano contribute to blends with Malvasias?
Its bright acidity offsets the lower-acid Malvasias.
Which grape variety is often referred to as Malvasia Puntinata?
Malvasia del Lazio.
Puntinata means ‘dotted’, which refers to the dark specks that appear on the skins of the berries as they ripen.
Recent DNA studies have shown that Malvasia del Lazio is a cross between which two varieties?
Muscat of Alexandria (Zibibbo) and Schiava Grossa; which explains the delicate grapey and Muscat-like aromas typical of the variety.
What is an important aspect of Malvasia del Lazio that allows it to produce rich and luschious sweet wines?
This grape is prone to botrytis.
Name the native and traditional red varieties of Lazio.
- Cesanese
- Aleatico
Others:
* Sangiovese
* Montepulciano
* Ciliegiolo
* Canaiolo
* Nero Buono
Which variety is considered Lazio’s most distinctive red grap and is grown only in this region?
Cesanese
What are the 2 distinct varieties of Cesanese?
- Cesanese Commune: was historically more widely cultivated.
- Cesanese d’Affile: gaining ground; considered the better of the two.
What styles of wine is Cesanese produced in?
Traditionally, this variety was produced in a variety of styles including sweet and fizzy.
Today, most are dry and still.
What are the characteristics of wines made from Cesanese?
The best examples are intensely fruity, medium-bodied and well-structured, yet supple on the palate.
Which aromatic red variety, traditional to the area around Lake Bolsena, is related to Moscato Bianco (Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc)?
Aleatico; this variety is believe to be native to Toscana.
What styles of wine are mainly produced from Aleatico?
Fragrant and distinctive, sweet, red passitios. And occasionally used to produce dry wines.
What vine training system is used in Lazio?
Most are vertically trellised and trained in Cordone Speronato and Guyot.
These newer systems have largely, but not entirely, replaced the traditional tendone and other minor traditional systems.
How much area do vineyards in Lazio cover?
Less than 50,000ac/20,000ha.
How much wine does Lazio produce annually?
Approx. 1 million hl.
What percentage of Lazio’s total wine production is DOC/G, IGT and bulk wine?
- 40% DOC/G
- 20% IGT
- Balance is bulk wine w/o origin
How many DOC/Gs are there in Lazio?
- 3 DOCGs
- 27 DOCs
Many of these DOCs are of limited or local importance and some are hardly used.
Name the Main Appellations of Lazio.
- Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC
- Orvieto DOC
- Aleatico di Gradoli DOC
- Cesanese del Piglio (Piglio) DOCG
- Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC
- Cesanese di Affile (Affile) DOC
- Frascati DOC
- Frascati Superiore DOCG
- Cannellino di Frascati DOCG