Cesanese
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Cesanese Comune (more commonly known as just Cesanese) is a red
Italian wine Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted fo ...
grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...
that is grown primarily in the
Lazio it, Laziale , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
region. The grape has three ''
Denominazione di origine controllata The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine: * ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; English: “designation of origin”), * ''Indicazione geografica tipi ...
'' (DOC) regions dedicated to it-
Cesanese di Affile DOC Cesanese Comune (more commonly known as just Cesanese) is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Lazio region. The grape has three ''Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) regions dedicated to it- Cesanese di Affi ...
,
Cesanese di Olevano DOC Cesanese Comune (more commonly known as just Cesanese) is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Lazio region. The grape has three ''Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) regions dedicated to it- Cesanese di Affi ...
and
Cesanese di Piglio DOC Cesanese Comune (more commonly known as just Cesanese) is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Lazio region. The grape has three ''Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) regions dedicated to it-Cesanese di Affil ...
. M. Ewing-Mulligan & E. McCarthy ''Italian Wines for Dummies'' pg 200 Hungry Minds 2001 ''Cesanese di Affile'' appears to be a distinct sub-variety of Cesanese Comune unique to the commune of Affile. (much like '' Brunello'' is a unique clone of
Sangiovese Sangiovese (, also , , ) is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin ''sanguis Jovis'', "the blood of Jupiter". Though it is the grape of most of central Italy from Romagna down to Lazio (the most widespread grape ...
unique to commune of
Montalcino Montalcino is a hill town and ''comune'' in the province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy. The town is located to the west of Pienza, close to the Crete Senesi in Val d'Orcia. It is from Siena, from Florence and from Pisa. Monte Amiata is ...
) There are noticeable differences between Cesanese Comune and the grapes found in Cesanese di Affile, including the size of the grape berry itself. The sub-variety Cesanese d'Affile is considered to be of superior quality of Cesanese Comune and is used as minor ingredient in the Tuscan
cult wine Cult wines are wines for which dedicated groups of committed enthusiasts will pay large sums of money. Cult wines are often seen as trophy wines to be collected or as investment wine to be held rather than consumed. Because price is often seen ...
Trinoro. J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 148 Oxford University Press 2006 The grape has very old origins, and may have been used in Roman winemaking. Today it is rarely seen outside of the Lazio. Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 59 Harcourt Books 2001


History

Cesanese Comune has had a long history in the Lazio regions with ampelographers believing the grape to be
indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
to the region. While it may have been used in Roman winemaking, in recent centuries the grape has been on a steady decline. By 2000 there were less than 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) of the grape planted in Italy. The grape's decline has coincided with the general decline of
viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
in the Lazio region as
urban sprawl Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city." Urban sprawl has been described as the unrestricted growt ...
and more of the population shift from agriculture to more industrial enterprises. In the 2000s, the Cesanese variety earned publicity for being included in the debut wine
Sogno Uno ''Sogno'' ( en, Dream) is the fifth studio album by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. The album sold 2.5 million copies in the United States,
by American porn star
Savanna Samson Savanna Samson (born October 14, 1967) is the stage name of Natalie Oliveros, an American former pornographic actress. The winner of several AVN Awards, she has spent most of her career as a contract performer with major producer Vivid Entertain ...
. For her first foray into the wine industry, Samson sampled 80 Italian wines before deciding to base her first wine primarily on the rare Lazio grape. Her 2004 Sogno Uno, which earned a favorable 91pt rating from American wine critic Robert Parker, was composed of 70% Cesanese, 20% Sangiovese and 10%
Montepulciano Montepulciano () is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and ''comune'' in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a limestone ridge, east of Pienza, southeast of Siena, southeast of Florence, and north of Rome b ...
.T. Aspler '
Curves of the Bottle - Interview with Sacanna Samson
"'' Tidings, June 9th, 2008


Wine regions

Cesanese Comune is almost exclusively planted in the Lazio region of Italy, and has long been associated with the ancient town and comune of
Anagni Anagni () is an ancient town and ''comune'' in the province of Frosinone, Latium, central Italy, in the hills east-southeast of Rome. It is a historical and artistic center of the Latin Valley. Geography Overview Anagni still maintains the appear ...
. It is planted throughout the hills of southeast Latium in the
province of Frosinone The Province of Frosinone ( it, Provincia di Frosinone) is a province in the Lazio region of Italy, with 91 ''comuni'' (singular: ''comune''; see Comuni of the Province of Frosinone). Its capital is the city of Frosinone. It has an area of ...
which has been sub-divided into three DOC regions. The Cesanese di Affile DOC is located around the commune of Affile in the province of Rome, though the sub-variety of ''Cesanese di Affile'' has migrated north to southern
Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...
. The Cesanese di Olevano is also located in the province of Rome around the city of Olevano Romano. The mountainous vineyards of the Cesanese di Piglio DOC, centered around the
Piglio Piglio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Frosinone in the Italian region Lazio, located about east of Rome and about northwest of Frosinone, offering a panoramic view on the valleys of the Sacco and Aniene rivers. History It ha ...
commune in the
province of Frosinone The Province of Frosinone ( it, Provincia di Frosinone) is a province in the Lazio region of Italy, with 91 ''comuni'' (singular: ''comune''; see Comuni of the Province of Frosinone). Its capital is the city of Frosinone. It has an area of ...
, is considered by wine experts such as
Master of Wine Master of Wine (MW) is a qualification (not an academic degree) issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom. The MW qualification is generally regarded in the wine industry as one of the highest standards of professional knowle ...
Mary Ewing-Mulligan to produce the best quality Cesanese wine but viticulture in the area has declined due to the difficulties in cultivating such mountainous terrain.


Wines

Traditionally Cesanese was used to make
sweet Sweetness is a basic taste most commonly perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketone ...
red wines that ranged from slightly sparkling ''
frizzante Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne regi ...
'' to fully sparkling '' spumante'' styles. In the late 20th century more winemakers began making dry still wines from the grape variety. Under DOC regulations, any wine labeled as Cesanese must contain at least 90% of the grape variety in the wine. Among the other grape varieties permitted to fill in the remaining 10% of the blend are both red and white grapes-Sangiovese, Montepulciano,
Barbera Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano). It produces good yields and is known for deep color, full body, low tannins and high level ...
,
Trebbiano Toscano Trebbiano is an Italian wine grape, one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. It gives good yields, but tends to yield undistinguished wine. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Also known as ugni blanc, it ...
and Bambino bianco. P. Saunders ''Wine Label Language'' pg 137-138 Firefly Books 2004 Wines made Cesanese are described as light bodied and soft, often recommended to be enjoyed soon after release. Wines from the Cesanese di Affile DOC may have a slight bitter edge.


Synonyms

Among the synonyms that Cesanese is known under include Bambino, Bombino nero, Bonvino nero, Bonvino, Cesanese, Cesanese ad acino grosso, Cesanese nero, Cesanese velletrano, Cesanze nero, Ferrigno nero, Ferrigno, Mangiatoria, Nero Ferrigno, Sancinella and Sanginella. Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC)
Cesanese Commune
Accessed: November 13th, 2017


References

{{reflist Red wine grape varieties