From the Empire to DOC wines: a legacy that continues to live on in the glass. If there is a city in the world where wine is an integral part of history, that city is Rome. Since ancient times, wine has played a central role in the culture, economy, and daily life of the capital. Today, thanks to denominations such as Roma DOC, this heritage comes back to life in the bottle, reinterpreted with respect and a contemporary vision. For I Viticoltori, producing wine on the doorstep of Rome means safeguarding a millennia-old heritage — and offering it to the present with authenticity.

Wine in Ancient Rome: A Symbol of Civilization

For the Romans, wine was not just a beverage: it was culture, religion, diplomacy.

It was used at banquets, in rituals, and in trade. It symbolized civilization and superiority over “barbarian” peoples, who had not yet mastered the art of winemaking.

Ships loaded with amphorae departed from Ostia to supply the entire Empire: Gaul, Hispania, Africa, Asia Minor.

Ostia: The Port of Roman Wines

The port of Ostia soon became the most important logistical hub for wine in the ancient world.

Amphorae bore inscriptions indicating the origin of the wine and its producer: a primitive form of labeling.

Some of these inscriptions included the adjective “Romanus,” a sign that even then Rome was synonymous with quality and prestige.

Roma DOC: The Story of a Modern Denomination

The Roma DOC designation was established in 2011, as official recognition of the winemaking identity of one of Lazio’s most vocated areas.

It includes the territories of the Castelli Romani, where native grape varieties such as Malvasia del Lazio, Bombino, Trebbiano, and Montepulciano are cultivated.

Roma DOC wines are intense, elegant, and mineral: true ambassadors of the territory.

How Poggio Le Volpi Interprets Roman Identity

At the Monte Porzio Catone estate, just a few kilometers from the capital, Poggio Le Volpi gives voice to the Roma DOC denomination with wines that combine technical precision and territorial soul.

From fresh, floral white expressions to complex, deep red reserves, each bottle tells the contemporary face of an ancient story.

A tribute to Roman identity — not as nostalgia, but as a living heritage in constant evolution.

Conclusion

Rome and wine have walked side by side for centuries, sharing destinies, crises, and rebirths.

Today, this story continues through the hands of those who cultivate, vinify, and believe in the value of the territory.

With every glass of Roma DOC, we toast not only to taste — but to a collective memory that has crossed time.

And that, like Rome itself, never stops being reborn.