Principe Pallavicini Roma Rosso

The history of the Pallavicini family, which has owned land in the Lazio for hundreds of years, is entwined with that of popes, cardinals, generals and princes. The Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi on the Quirinal Hill in Rome is a clear testament to this remarkable ancestry. Among their proprieties is the Tenuta di Colonna in the Castelli Romani area southeast of Rome, which has around 60 hectares under vine, of which about 50 are white varieties planted at an altitude of 200 metres above sea level on a mixture of volcanic soils and calcareous clays and sand. The history of this area is even older than the Pallavicini family: the legend says the Cretans arrived in the Castelli Romani and built the first hilltop villages after being displaced by the Mycenaeans around 1200 BC. The winery is built over a Roman cistern and aqueduct and Roman artefacts and remains are to be found everywhere on the estate.

In this historically rich context, modern techniques are used to produce wines that are clean and vibrant to highlight the characters of the indigenous varieties. Starting from the 2017 vintage, Pallavicini have also added a red Roma DOC to the range. Made from Montepulciano, Syrah and Cesanese the wine is aged for a short period in French tonneaux to create a structured wine, with hints of spice and a long finish.

Montepulciano, Syrah, Cesanese

The vineyards are located at 300 metres above sea level in the classic area of Castelli Romani, situated between the ancient volcanic area of southern Lazio and the city of Rome. The soil there is volcanic and particularly fertile. Vines are aged between 15 and 30 years old. The trellising system is Guyot and spurred cordon. The plant density is around 4,000 plants per hectare.

50% Montepulciano, 30% Syrah, 20% Cesanese.

The grapes were hand harvested and sorted by hand at the winery. The fermentation took place in stainless steel vats at controlled temperatures of 24-28°C. Pumping over and delestage were carried out during and after the fermentation for better extraction. In November 2017 the wine started its wood ageing that continued for 12 months (in 500 Litres barrels of French oak, Allier and Tronçais, 80% second use and 20% new oak). Then followed a suitable bottle ageing.

This wine is ruby red in colour, with excellent intensity and violet hints. On the nose, there are perfumes of ripe red fruits, vanilla and spices. On the palate, it is intense and rounded, with well-balanced tannins and a long and persistent finish.

Drink with duck ragu, sticky pokr ribs, pizza or wild boar sausages.