Bellone grape comes back to the Colosseum after 2500 years

Here ye! Here ye! Breaking news! The divine Bellone grape comes back to the Colosseum, just after 2500 years.

An amazing project sponsored by the EU and in cooperation with the municipality of Rome, is planting young Bellone vines in the archaeological area of the Colosseum.
Did you know Imperial Rome brought the vines all over the world known at that time?
France, Spain, Germany, even England knew how to cultivate grapevines and the art of winemaking thanks to the imperial dominion of the Eternal City.
As we know, everything changed during the centuries. Especially after the end of World war II, agriculture left the city for the countryside.
So, thanks to this project a new vineyard is rising just on the Palatine hill.
Once again, therefore, the first of the Roman hills will see grapes growing there.The aim of this project is to link and empower the cultural connection between winemaking and Roman civilization.

Ancient ruins and Bellone grapes. Can’t wait to see that

The archaeological area of the Colosseum and Roman forum will turn into a green park.
As well as a sort of little treasure box for biodiversity. And its look will benefit, surely.
The winemaker for this amazing project is Cincinnato winery. The name reminds us Lucio Quinzio Cincinnato, a farmer who become Dictator in Ancient Rome, famous for his semplicity and self-denial to work.
Cincinnato winery represents 73 years of history, 550 hectares of vineyards and olive trees. It is a social cooperative of 150 farmers, quality oriented, which includes more than 100 families, most of the rural community of Cori.
I know very well this label, as their wines. Original from Cori village in southern Latium, just one hour drive from Rome City.
The village of Cori lays on the hills of Monti Lepini, overlooking the flat land ending to the coastline named Pianura Pontina.

Which vine are they planting? It’s Bellone variety

Bellone is a typical grape variety, known locally since the beginning of the history. A white skin grape suitable for dry wines as well as sparkling ones.
Bellone is a very versatile vine of very ancient origins. It was widespread in the Castelli Romani area already in Roman times . Plinio il Vecchio (Plinius the Elder) wrote about “pantastic grape”. Pantastic grape is a definition related to the habit of eating this grape with bread.

Labelling.

Bellone grapes play an important role in the delicate white wines of the Roma DOC appellation. Moreover, Nettuno DOC and Marino DOC.
In purity (100% Bellone) in the IGT (Typical geographical appellation). While in blending it is part of the disciplinary of the Frascati DOC, the Velletri DOC, the Bianco Capena DOC, the Cori DOC, the Montecompatri Colonna DOC and the Zagarolo DOC.

The vine.

The Bellone bears other numerous synonyms such as Cacchione and Arciprete. The white Bellone has a lesser-known cousin, with a black skin, the Bellone Nero.
The Bellone vine produces medium-large sized clusters with a cylindrical-conical shape, occasionally winged and with a tight densisty.
Its berries are medium-large in size, spherical, with thick yellow and brown streaked skins. Covered with bloom.

Bellone is a very vigorous vine, with high but irregular yields. It is raised with medium expansion systems on various soils, preferably volcanic and light.
It prefers fertile, well-drained but fresh soils.

Bellone wines.

The wine obtained from the Bellone vine is of an intense straw yellow color. On the palate it is intense, fruity, mineral.
Bellone is increasingly vinified in purity, thanks to the good structure and fragrance of its wines. These are pale yellow with beautiful golden hues. 

The olfactory range is very fresh, with ripe fruity notes of grapefruit and peach, nuanced by honey and almond funds. The palate is present and full-bodied, with a nice high alcohol content and a bitter finish.

 

It is a wine to be drunk young, within two years.

Perfect pairings with the classic icons of Roman cuisine such as soups with broad beans or herb-flavoured risottos. Unmissable pairing with unseasoned pecorino Romano. Excellent with lean meats and lake fish, especially in the classic fried version.