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Frascati
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Classification: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata - Quality Wines Produced in a Specific Region)
Color: intense straw yellow
Region of production: Colli Albani
Minimum alcohol content: 11%
Grapess used: Malvasia Bianca di Candia (from 70 to 100%), Trebbiano Toscano (from 70 to 100%), Greco (up to 30%), Malvasia del Lazio (up to 30%)
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A NOBLE AND VERSATILE ROMAN |
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An indissoluble bond links the history of Frascati with that of Rome. Produced in the area of the Colli Albani ever since the Renaissance period by the proprietors of the thousands of inns found in the Eternal city. Over the years this wine has demonstrated its worth, becoming one of the most famous and highly esteemed appellation wines in all of Italy.
Even in Rome's darkest days, wine producing activities continued to flourish. So thriving was this wine business, that by the Renaissance they decided to impose standards in terms of equipment, processing, production and marketing.
Frascati is a product of this noble past, with roots extending into the foggy realms of myth and legend and immortalized in the poetic verses of Gioacchino Belli. Frascati displays a fairly intense straw-yellow color and is imbued with a characteristic winey, fruity bouquet. It can also take on fresh, grassy notes, depending on the area of production.
The production zone includes the area around its namesake town, which is not far from Rome in Lazio, as well as the nearby areas surrounding Grottaferrata, Colonna, Montecompatri and Monteporzio Catone and part of the municipality of Rome itself. Here the grape vines grow in a favorable hilly landscape of volcanic origin. The Castelli Romani production area is very near the capital, boasting broad terraces and truly patrician residences.
The delightful flavor of Frascati is unmistakably fresh, but its mellowness renders it suitable for a number of food combinations. In the dry version, to be enjoyed at a temperature of around 8° C, it should be drunk young and is great as a before-dinner cocktail: still or sparkling, like Frascati spumante.
It is also perfect with cold antipasti, although its pleasant freshness makes it an excellent accompaniment to more flavorful, hearty dishes. To fully appreciate its rich flavor, one should try it with some of the many local dishes, like the classic Bucatini all'Amatriciana. It also goes wonderfully with second courses, like grilled meat, veal, rabbit, the typical local chicken dish prepared with sweet peppers and with spring lamb.
This wine should also be tried with fish dishes or served with fresh or fried cheeses. The Frascati Superiore version is characterized by a slightly higher minimum alcohol content of 11.5% and includes one of the most copious productions of all the appellations wines. It also comes in a slightly sweeter version.
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