Frascati came up at a wine shop when I was trying to find something Italian that wasn’t Pinot Grigio or Soave — I’d been rotating through the same few bottles and was starting to feel like I was reading the same chapters of a book. The shop owner pointed to Frascati and described it as “the wine Romans drank while the Roman Empire was collapsing.” Which is perhaps not the most optimistic pitch, but it got my attention. The wine itself turned out to be genuinely interesting — light, dry, mineral, with a flinty quality I hadn’t expected from central Italy.
Where Frascati Comes From
Frascati is a town in the Castelli Romani hills southeast of Rome, in the Lazio region. The vineyards sit at 1,000-2,000 feet elevation on volcanic soil — the same tufa and pozzolana that Romans quarried for construction. This volcanic soil is part of what gives Frascati its distinctive mineral character. The area has been producing wine since at least Roman times; Frascati was reportedly a favorite of Pope Paul III and various Renaissance popes who maintained villas in the hills above the city.
Frascati DOC and the superior designation Frascati Superiore DOCG cover wines from this specific zone. The higher DOCG designation requires lower yields, higher minimum alcohol, and more careful production standards, and the resulting wines show it — they’re more concentrated and structured than the basic DOC versions.
The Grapes
Frascati is primarily made from Malvasia di Candia and Malvasia del Lazio (also called Malvasia Puntinata), with Trebbiano Toscano permitted in blends and Greco and Bombino Bianco allowed in smaller percentages. The Malvasia varieties are what define the wine’s aromatic character — a faint floral quality, hints of peach and citrus, and that volcanic mineral note. Trebbiano adds acidity and structure but less aromatic complexity, which is why the better producers minimize it and lean on Malvasia.
What It Tastes Like
Dry Frascati is straw-colored, light to medium-bodied, with good acidity. The aromatics are delicate — white flowers, pear, peach, light citrus. On the palate there’s a characteristic slight bitterness at the finish, which is common in central Italian whites and pairs well with food. The mineral quality varies by producer and vineyard; wines from older vines on better volcanic sites have a more pronounced flinty note that distinguishes them from more generic Italian white blends.
Frascati Superiore tends to be fuller and richer, with more pronounced fruit and better aging potential — though even these are wines to drink relatively young, within three to five years. Cannellino di Frascati is a separate DOCG for the sweet version, made from late-harvested or botrytized grapes. It’s less common internationally but worth seeking out if you encounter it — dried apricot, honey, and orange peel flavors balanced by the grape’s natural acidity.
Food Pairing
Frascati is a food wine in the most fundamental sense — it was designed to be drunk with the cuisine of central Italy, and that’s where it works best. Pasta all’amatriciana (the guanciale and tomato sauce), cacio e pepe, supplì (fried rice balls), and the various offal dishes that Roman cuisine is known for all match the wine’s weight and acidity. Seafood is the other natural direction — grilled branzino or orata, salt cod preparations, clam pasta. The mineral quality in the better wines bridges the gap between fish and the earthier flavors of Roman vegetables and legumes.
For non-Italian pairings: think light to medium-weight dishes with olive oil and herbs rather than cream or butter sauces. Roasted chicken with lemon and herbs, grilled vegetables, fresh mozzarella. The wine’s slight bitterness makes it good with anything fatty, cutting through and refreshing the palate.
Finding and Buying Frascati
Frascati isn’t as easy to find as the major Italian whites, but it’s worth looking for. Fontana Candida is the most widely exported producer and offers reliable quality at accessible prices. Villa Simone makes some of the most serious versions, particularly the Frascati Superiore Vigna Filonardi. Castel de Paolis has attracted attention for its more contemporary approach while maintaining regional character. Expect to pay $12-20 for a good bottle; the top producers might ask $25-30 for their Superiore versions.
If you can’t find actual Frascati, wines from neighboring Marino or other Castelli Romani appellations made on similar volcanic soils offer comparable character. The entire appellation system of the Roman hills produces wines in this style, and the quality has been improving steadily over the past decade as younger winemakers bring more careful viticulture and winemaking to the region.
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