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| Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone | |
|---|---|
| Name | Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone |
| Caption | Bottles of a white wine from Viterbo region |
| Type | Italian white wine |
| Appellation | DOC |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Lazio |
| Subregion | Province of Viterbo |
| Grapes | Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Grechetto |
| Soil | volcanic, tuff |
| Notable | Montefiascone, Bolsena, Viterbo Cathedral |
Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone is a historic white wine from the area around Montefiascone in the Province of Viterbo of Lazio, Italy. The wine is traditionally associated with medieval pilgrimage routes to Rome and later gained formal recognition under Italian wine law as a DOC. Its story intersects with figures such as Baldwin of Hainaut-era travelers, and with institutions like the Catholic Church and regional communes centered on Viterbo and Orvieto.
The wine's production area lies within the volcanic landscape near Lake Bolsena, an expanse formed by the Vulsini volcano, and borders historic territories of Etruria, Papacy, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Viticulture in this part of Lazio dates to Etruscan civilization and continued through the Roman Republic and Roman Empire into the Middle Ages, when routes such as the Via Francigena funneled travelers toward St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. During the Renaissance and the era of the Papal States, ecclesiastical and civic records from Viterbo Cathedral and municipal archives document vineyards owned by monasteries and noble houses like the Orsini and Borgia. In the 19th century, developments after the Unification of Italy and the reforms under the Kingdom of Italy influenced landholding patterns; later 20th-century appellation laws, including the 1963 Italian wine legislation and later DOC regulations, formalized the identity of the wine.
Local lore attributes the name to a 12th-century German prelate or chamberlain of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor or a pilgrim connected with Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa whose heralded exclamation "Est! Est!! Est!!!" marked inns with outstanding wine on the road to Rome. The tale involves figures associated with travel narratives like Sigeric of Canterbury and locales such as Siena, Perugia, Orvieto Cathedral, and Montefiascone's parish churches. The legend has been popularized in travelogues by writers following the Grand Tour tradition and by scholars in the fields of medieval studies and religious history.
Vineyards are sited on tuff and volcanic soils around Montefiascone, the town of Borgo San Pietro, and hills above Lake Bolsena, benefitting from microclimates influenced by the lake and the Apennines near Civita Castellana and Viterbo. Principal varieties include Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, and Grechetto, with plantings also featuring Procanico and experimental rows of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc by modern producers. Traditional cultivars are trained using systems found across Tuscany and Umbria, analogous to practices in Chianti and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, while contemporary estates adopt stainless-steel fermentation, temperature control, and oak aging influenced by winemakers from Piedmont, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
The classic wine is a pale straw-colored white exhibiting aromas of almond, apricot, acacia, and saline minerality reminiscent of wines from Bolsena and Lake Bracciano shores. Styles range from fresh, unoaked bottlings comparable to Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Soave to richer, oak-influenced cuvées that mirror techniques used in Maremma and Tuscany. Sweet and passito expressions and sparkling methods have been employed by producers inspired by Asti and Franciacorta traditions. Food pairings often cite regional dishes such as preparations of fettuccine, porchetta, freshwater fish from Lake Bolsena, and cheeses from Lazio.
Est! Est!! Est!!! is governed by DOC regulations that specify permitted grape varieties, yield limits, minimum alcohol levels, and aging requirements, aligned with standards set by Italian regulatory frameworks similar to those for Chianti Classico and Barolo DOCs. The boundaries align with municipal territories including Montefiascone, parts of Viterbo, and neighboring communes such as Capodimonte, Ischia di Castro, and Gradoli. Labeling rules distinguish between "Secco", "Amabile", and "Liquoroso" styles, and producers must adhere to controls administered by regional bodies in Lazio and testing laboratories in Rome.
The wine is integral to local festivals, gastronomy, and heritage tourism centered on sites like Montefiascone Cathedral (Santa Margherita), Rocca dei Papi, and events linked to the Cammino di San Tommaso and pilgrim itineraries to Rome. Enotourism routes connect estates with attractions such as the medieval centers of Viterbo, the archaeological parks of Blera, and the villas and gardens near Sutri. Museums, culinary institutes, and hospitality businesses in Viterbo and Civita di Bagnoregio promote tasting experiences alongside cultural programming sponsored by regional authorities and associations linked to Italian National Tourist Board initiatives.
Prominent estates and cooperatives in the DOC include historic houses and newer wineries from the municipalities of Montefiascone, Capodimonte, Gradoli, Bolsena, and Ischia di Castro, some managed by families with ties to aristocratic lineages such as the Lante and entrepreneurial vintners from Rome. Selected bottlings have been featured in tastings alongside wines from Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Piedmont, and Veneto at events hosted by organizations like the Italian Sommelier Foundation and continental competitions under bodies such as the Decanter World Wine Awards and International Wine Challenge. Contemporary producers emphasize terroir-driven selections and experiment with single-vineyard releases labeled to reflect microzones near Lake Bolsena and the volcanic slopes of the Vulsini range.
Category:Italian DOC wines Category:Wines of Lazio Category:Culture in Viterbo