Giovanni Milana breathed the atmosphere of the trattoria Sora Maria and Arcangelo Despite his initial reluctance to follow in his family's footsteps led him first to hotel school and then to the dining business itself.  After several work experiences and the untimely death of his father he decided to devote himself entirely to the activity he had inherited working alongside his mother in the kitchen This commitment has led him to re-evaluate tradition paying particular attention to the enhancement of the products and historical recipes of the Lazio region Giovanni's philosophy is based on a balance between the past and the future a concept that has made the eatery one of the most popular gastronomic destinations in Italy recognized for its authenticity and quality Over the years he has received numerous awards including inclusion in the most important guides His dedication and skill in reinterpreting local dishes have consolidated the restaurant's reputation as a national landmark.  Do you want to discover the latest news and recipes of the most renowned chefs and restaurants in the world La nostra società utilizza inoltre cookie funzionali per registrare informazioni sulle scelte dell’utente e per consentire una personalizzazione del Sito; ad esempio Questi cookie possono essere installati dalla nostra società o da Terze parti In caso di disabilitazione di questi cookie la qualità e l’esperienza di navigazione potrebbe non essere soddisfacente Questi cookie sono installati da social media per consentire la condivisione dei contenuti del presente Sito Essi sono in grado di monitorare la navigazione compiuta anche in altri siti e creano un profilo dell’utente sulla base dei suoi interessi Ciò potrebbe avere un impatto sul contenuto e messaggi visualizzati sugli altri siti visitati non sarà possibile utilizzare o visualizzare questi strumenti di condivisione per l’installazione e l’uso di tali cookie occorre il consenso dell’utente Per maggiori informazioni consulta la pagna cookies policy Wanted in RomeMagazine after decades of loss in demand combined with the grape’s difficult Cesanese was on its way to extinction as plantings diminished to under 400 hectares The same year as the release of Sideways, American Porn Star, Savana Samson, was the unlikely candidate to introduce the outside world – most importantly the US market – to the grape. After tasting 80-plus wines, a Cesanese-based blend seduced her into creating her own wine label A laudable public reception followed a glowing review by one of the wine world’s most popular critics at the time Knowledge and reception to the grape outside of Italy has slowly and steadily grown since then and plantings of the vine have followed suit 10 Most Famous Italian Wines With over 30 variants – something that only develops over an extensive period – the Affile variant is also quite frankly because it is the easiest to grow and Nostrano is such a recent discovery that there is no real acceptable assessment of its distinguishing characteristics While Affile and Comune produce very similar wines those from Affile are more structured aiding in their potential ability to age as the seasons edge towards fall rains and waning daytime hours When the grape is cultivated to full ripeness the wines produced are driven by aromas of ripe cherry and unmistakable Mediterranean herbal tinges On the palate much of the same shines through in a bone-dry structure the ripeness only being felt in the aromas There is nothing sweet about this newly elevated expression of Cesanese It also has quite the ability to display its sense of place via a transparent expression of soil structure and microclimate which will be discussed briefly below with the regions The grapes themselves contain enough tannin structure that there is little to no need to introduce the wine to oak – the only other source of tannins in wines there has been little experiment with ageing Since this new style of Cesanese is barely 30-years old the jury is still out on how the wines will benefit from such treatment further slowed by the higher elevations around Affile showcases a firmer structure which is even further aided by the iron-oxide rich clay soils Not surprisingly the Affile variant of Cesanese dominate the plantings and subsequent wines here Olevano Romano and Piglio are both planted to all three siblings of Cesanese but have variations in certain soil strata that influence the final wines Piglio has strata of both sandstone and pumice The shared volcanic subsoil shines through the wines in both areas but the sands in Olevano Romano create a softer while the complexities of Piglio are still being defined and subdivided on a level that could one day approach the variations we find today with Pinot Noir in its homeland of Burgundy Outside of the varying soils of the Cesanese del Piglio DOCG a multitude of expositions on difficult terrain are continuing to be analyzed on a more fragmented site-specific level it is also the most difficult of the three regions to manage viticulturally leading towards the presumption that those masochistic elements of the best wine grapes in the toughest areas will produce the best examples of Cesanese wines here With the high-quality treatment of Cesanese still relatively new it will be interesting to see how all three areas continue to evolve and display their unique subtleties Wanted in Rome ™ is member of the Wanted World Wide Ltd network.Click here to find out more about our Network or Follow us on social networks © 2025 / 2026 Wanted World Wide LTD Network Don’t miss the latest drinks industry news and insights Sign up for our award-winning newsletters and get insider intel and trends delivered to your inbox every week By embracing age-old traditions and organic viticulture a handful of quality-minded winemakers are changing the region’s reputation At the intersection of mountain influences and cooling Mediterranean breezes the Lazio region of Italy has all the natural resources to be a high-quality wine area But a move toward large-scale industrial farming and an emphasis on fashionable international grapes rather than indigenous varieties in the second half of the 20th century gave Lazio a reputation for high-volume low-quality white wines—most of which were offered in cheap carafes at trattorias throughout Rome Lazio does not enjoy a good reputation,” says Georgea Marini the winemaker for Azienda Agricola Marini Georgea in Gradoli “because in the past it has never focused on quality and effective promotion at the national and international levels.” One of the most important catalysts for change in Lazio is the presence of a huge market—the sprawling city of Rome, and the increasing interest in natural wine there, says Sandro Sangiorgi, a wine educator and writer, and the founder of cultural association Porthos Racconta in Rome “This is demonstrated by the locals in wine bars there are those who are willing to satisfy that interest “Wine growing [in Lazio] has stopped being only about producing a high quantity of grapes with out-of-control yields,” says Sangiorgi “This trend of change from high-yield production to focus on healthy vineyards will continue with a shift to organic production throughout the region; even the reluctant will be surrounded by larger companies that have already made the conversion.” for sure—who have the edge in the race,” he says “But none of those areas have the critical mass of humans pouring into their nearest urban center.” Lazio is also home to a large variety of native grapes many of which are being revived by modern winemakers While the revolution in wine quality is happening across Lazio three exceptional vineyard areas are driving the change: the Frascati DOC in Castelli Romani located just south of Rome; Olevano Romano located a bit further southeast; and to the north Sangiorgi says that the vineyard area of Monte Porzio a village in the Frascati DOC with volcanic soils could be considered one of the great grand crus of Italy once producers focus on quality over quantity Native Romans Danielle Presutti and Chiara Bianchi, the proprietors of the Cantina Ribelà winery saw past Monte Porzio’s lackluster reputation when they purchased two hectares of vineyard land in 2014 who studied philosophy and worked in her family’s restaurant for 10 years both knew they wanted to switch gears and become winemakers in their native Lazio area despite the devaluation of the land and loss of traditions because they believed they could produce quality wines “We want to revive old traditions,” says Presutti “and improve the quality of the wine made here.” Presutti and Bianchi resolved to practice biodynamics in the vineyard and cultivate only Lazio’s native grapes like Malvasia Puttinata and Cesanese; in the winery the traditional vessel for fermenting and aging “and we were lucky enough to meet a cooper who still does this job it is the best thing—the characteristics of natural micro-oxygenation that [this] wood has Though Lazio is now known as a white-wine region it was traditionally home to red varieties like the Cesanese grape that characterizes the Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC The geology of Olevano Romano is especially distinctive; the DOC is located in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains and at the outer edge of the Monte Albano volcano “Lazio has always produced excellent wines, since the Roman times, because it has good soils and climate conditions,” says Lorella Reale, who co-owns with her husband the winery Piero Riccardi Lorella Reale Viticoltori  in Olevano Romano “During the second half of the 20th century But now some grape growers are working to produce quality wines.” Reale and her husband started making wines on Riccardi’s inherited family land in 2010 working biodynamically and promoting plant and animal biodiversity The Riccardi-Reale winery specializes in Cesanese and experiments with a small amount of white wine The couple insists on hand-harvesting and employs spontaneous fermentation They also work with locally made chestnut barrels which are the ideal vessels for creating wines expressive of their terroir located near the borders of Tuscany and Umbria a crater lake in the now dormant volcano Monte Volsinii have attracted new investment and interest thanks to their rich volcanic soils and lake-influenced microclimate Natural-wine producers Le Coste and Andrea Occhipinti have brought international attention to the small Gradoli subregion Many of the relatively young producers here were inspired to preserve traditional varieties like Aleatico and Procanico (also known as Trebbiano Toscano) and to work with as little intervention as possible in the winery “I decided to produce quality wines because I believe very much in the potential of the vines in the area of ​​Gradoli “and also because I didn’t want to have to fight to the bottom to be able to occupy a place on the shelf of a supermarket.” Instead for which the Aleatico di Gradoli DOC is named along with its traditional regional style—luscious Marini is one of just two producers making Aleatico in this style making just 4,000 to 5,000 bottles annually On the southern slopes along Lake Bolsena, in Montefiascone (home to the historic Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC), three local friends—Daniele Manoni, Marco Fucini, and Nicola Brenciaglia—created Il Vinco winery in 2014 Their goal was to restore the native Canaiolo Nero variety which was nearly abandoned in favor of international grapes while simultaneously highlighting a particular terrain that was distinctive because of its lower elevation and diminished sea influence and Malvasia Bianca to make an unofficial version of Est with spontaneous fermentation and no fining or filtering the reputation of Lazio could present an opportunity the wine heritage of Lazio is neither a burden nor a disadvantage,” says Manoni “While it’s true that for many years this region has been seen [for] quantity production at the expense of quality it’s relatively easier to emerge in the [Lazio] market [as compared with] nobler and more famous regions.” As more producers return to the traditional regions the new wave of quality will continue to gain momentum “with many new young—and [some] less young—people who want to redeem their territory.” Don’t miss the latest drinks industry news and insights—delivered to your inbox every week Sarah May Grunwald lives and works in the Lazio countryside and leads wine tours and tastings in Rome and throughout Italy She is a certified sommelier and current WSET Diploma student She is the owner of the Tbilisi wine-and-food tour company Taste Georgia and California—including one AVA that has already been approved—have exciting potential for the U.S As vines are pulled and grapes left unpicked across California fruit-forward profile of classic Provence rosé calls for reductive winemaking but some producers are turning to a more oxidative approach to add complexity to their wines There’s no right way to space a vineyard but winemakers and researchers nonetheless have strong—and often opposing—views on the best way to approach vine density Learn more about how Provi simplifies the complex process of ordering and promoting wholesale alcohol between buyers SevenFifty Daily is an award-winning online magazine about the business and culture of the beverage alcohol industry covering all three tiers of the alcohol industry the European Commissioner for International Partnerships has encouraged the European Union's regions and cities to become more actively engaged in the EU's partnership with Africa a call that echoes recommendations adopted by the European Committee of the Regions on 21 November.  Commissioner Urpilainen who was speaking at a debate on the EU's strategy in Africa in the CoR said that local and regional governments and their associations are an "important actor" in the EU’s engagement with Africa through their ideas and their role in implementation of projects in the EU’s Global Gateway strategy She described the strategy as the EU’s contribution to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.  CoR members underscored the significance of regions and cities to development pointing to a conclusion of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that 65% of the 169 targets within the SDGs cannot be achieved without effective coordination with local and regional authorities The CoR's opinion identifies numerous ways in which the EU should engage more deeply cities and regions in implementing its strategy with Africa urging the EU to treat local and regional authorities "on a par" with civil society organisations and arguing that EU initiatives in Africa – such as the Global Gateway strategy but also the EU’s work in fragile settings – would be improved by involving sub-national authorities in Africa African cities and regions are on the forefront in addressing rapid urbanisation which is putting significant pressure on the provision of public services in Africa The CoR's opinion, which was drafted by Guido Milana (IT/Renew Europe) member of Olevano Romano Municipal Council also presses the EU to increase its capacity-building support for local and regional civil services in Africa and to facilitate African regions' and cities' access to funding to help them address such challenges The CoR calls for sub-national authorities in the EU and Africa to establish more decentralised cooperation partnerships It also argues that the EU should tap the experience of European cities and regions when defining Africa-EU Partnership priorities in areas in which regions and cities generally have significant responsibilities The opinion encourages peer-to-peer cooperation between EU and African municipal and regional administrations in areas such as communal services The European Commission has encouraged EU local and regional authorities to actively support the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package by making investment opportunities known to the private sector in their territories and helping to design and implement local-level public-private partnerships National leaders from the EU and the African Union are expected to meet at a summit in 2025 to evaluate the state of the Africa-EU- Partnership The European Union remains the largest investor in Africa and its largest provider of humanitarian assistance and development aid ·     Jutta Urpilainen European Commissioner for International Partnerships: "Local and regional authorities are an important actor in the Global Gateway strategy They deal with everyday challenges at local and regional level and their perspective is essential to understand the details of the context where the Global Gateway is implemented Effective implementation should also integrate and coordinate efforts of local and regional authorities and other national actors to seize opportunities and better mobilise investments at local level This is why we engage local and regional authorities all along the policymaking chain via dialogues with EU delegations around the world including on projects and ways to empower local communities local and regional authorities have unique added value in complex settings Where the EU cooperation with central authorities is limited local and regional authorities are uniquely placed as interlocutors together with civil society organisations." Having links between the European system and local systems in Africa will help any kind of process Local and regional administrations need to be more involved in shaping priorities and actions when territorial impacts are significant What is happening in Africa is what happened in Europe at the beginning of the 1960s – a great process of urbanisation of the concentration of inhabitants in big cities with the depopulation of peripheral areas." Cesanese is a grape variety used to make red wine in Italy's Lazio wine region It is used mostly in the production of still red wines with bright fruit characters and some earthy overtones and is considered by many to be one of Lazio's most interesting grape varieties While the variety is attracting some attention of late (following a worldwide trend of "rediscovering" high-quality indigenous varieties), Cesanese is probably best known for the challenges it poses in the vineyard. The grape ripens extremely late, even in the sunny climes around Rome. In some cases, the grapes will not reach full phenolic maturity watery wines do not demonstrate the best qualities of Cesanese When made well, however, Cesanese can demonstrate rich, ripe cherry flavors with some floral characters and sometimes a touch of red pepper. The wines are medium bodied with soft tannin and are best with minimal oak; too much can be overpowering Cesanese Comune is the larger-berried of the two vines and is slightly more robust showing increased resistance to fungal infections and other vineyard pests It is probably for this very reason than its plantings have remained stable while those of Cesanese di Affile are steadily dropping now covering less than 3,000 acres (1,250 ha) While Lazio is undoubtedly the variety's spiritual home, it is grown in several other parts of Italy, notably in Tuscany and Umbria The Wild Abundance of Italian Native Grapes we hope to lead you to a destination of uncommon pleasure and discovery among the plethora of Italy’s native wine grapes Home to more grape varieties than any other country Italy’s wine diversity is often described as endless Many of these varieties are so climate specific that they cannot be transplanted to another region they are better able to cope with local microclimates and express terroir resulting in wines with distinctive and unique aromas is perfect and some interesting Italian vines are trivially underrated due to historical reasons often being left in the shadows of more famous ones this unique abundance is being embraced by growers and producers across the country as they look to revive forgotten indigenous grape varieties and capitalize on the exciting possibilities they offer this phenomenon has become a trend and people are now rejecting the so-called big six grape varieties Cesanese is the red grape variety that best represents the viticulture of Lazio but most of the researchers believe that it was born on the hills surrounding the Ancient Rome and has been mentioned in diverse Ampelographic Bulletins of the last century Acetbi (1825) has described Cesanese as being capable of producing a full-bodied wine from spheroid the scholar Di Rovasenda asserted its presence in the late nineteenth century in the Roman countryside Cesanese was appreciated everywhere in Lazio as a light sweet wine and it was usually harmonized with fruit pies and marmalade pastry Cesanese began to appear on the market as a still red wine which has bright fruit characters and some earthy overtones This grape variety has two distinct biotypes: the large-berried Cesanese Comune and the less widespread Cesanese di Affile which differ in some morphological traits but are absolutely similar on the genetic level From them two DOCs and one DOCG are originated: Cesanese del Piglio DOCG Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC and Cesanese di Affile DOC this last being made with Cesanese di Affile only Located in central Italy’s Lazio region this wine-producing area covers the communes of Piglio The best vineyards are located on the slopes of the Ernici mountains and in Valle del Sacco which has altitudes between 200 and 800 meters and present red soils due to high iron oxide content a historic family-owned winery that offers us several labels of Cesanese The Cesanese del Piglio Zero S 2016 was made experimentally without the addition of sulfites and resulted in a great fragrant wine the Cesanese del Piglio Torre del Piano Riserva 2016 has a more decided character and structure The Cesanese del Piglio Superiore Tenuta Della Ioria has an intense aroma of berries and is very equilibrated in the palate the Cesanese del Piglio Campo Novo 2016 is a young wine presenting two interesting Cesanese’ labels The Cesanese del Piglio Velobra 2016 is balanced on the palate and has a great personality The Cesanese del Piglio Colle Forma 2016 is aged in oak barrels for a long time it has a spicy aroma and a persistent robust palate there is the Cesanese del Piglio Superiore Vajoscuro Riserva 2016 which is refined in barriques and has great complexity and structure Do not miss Maria Ernesta Berrucci wines: the Cesanese del Piglio Mola da Piedi 2017 has intense aromas of cherries and licorice with aggressive tannins and a persistent finish while Cesanese del Piglio Superiore L’Onda 2016 has aromas of wet earth Pileum also produces three interesting labels The Cesanese del Piglio Superiore Massitium 2016 has spice and mineral notes and is very equilibrated The Cesanese del Piglio Superiore Bolla di Urbano Riserva 2016 is vinified in cement tanks and has aromas of red fruits while the Cesanese del Piglio Pilarocca Riserva 2016 is aged in oak barrels and barriques you should try the two versions of Cesanese by Coletti Conti: in the Cesanese del Piglio Superiore Hernicus 2016 we can gather a varied range of aromas but also balsamic and spicy notes enlivened by other red fruits; the mouth has soft tannins and elegance The Cesanese del Piglio Superiore Romanico 2016 is more complex and full-bodied Ovevano Romano is the municipality that gives the name to this DOC. It is a hilly area in Valle del Sacco, at the foot of Mountain Simbruini. The volcanic soils with traces of clay and calcareous play into increased complexity in these wines. Damiano Ciolli and Marco Antonelli are two reference producers. Damiano Ciolli has two very interesting labels The  Cesanese of Olevano Romano Cirsium Riserva 2014 is at the same time fresh and profound with marked acidity and tannins that are softened by fruity flavors The Cesanese of Olevano Romano Superiore Silene 2016 has notes of red fruits and spices Marco Antonelli presents three interesting versions of Cesanese wines among which we prefer the unmissable Cesanese di Olevano Romano Il Fresco 2016 that has an engaging aroma of berries with a pleasant acidic and tannic palate The Cesanese di Olevano Romano Superiore Tyto 2015 is very soft in the palate with wild herbs aromas: a wine to be stored in the cellar Check also the wines from Olevano Romano wines from: Riccardi Reale The Cesanese di Affile DOC is produced solely in the municipality of Affile The vineyards are located on the slopes of the Affilani mountains where the soil is composed mainly of red soil Raimondo produces two distinctive versions of Cesanese di Affile The Cesanese di Affile Nemora 2016 has aromas of wild berries and moderate alcohol The Cesanese di Affile Nemora 2016 has an interesting aging capacity while in the month is appreciated for the consistent and elegant tannins We would also like to recommend you other Cesanese labels outside of the Denomination areas First the L’Maggiore Maggiore 2014 with its well-defined structure secondly La Rose’s La Faiola Rosso 2015 the Cesanese 2016 from Casa Divina Providence is a complex Slow Food – P.IVA 91008360041 © All rights reserved Powered by Blulab Often the best “Roman” food comes the countryside just outside of Rome Though the Eternal City can keep you eating well eternally here’s a restaurant to note for a trip outside of Rome into the small hill-town of Olevano Romano Sora Maria e Arcangelo covers all the bases: local products a seasonally varied menu that changes even by the week the prioritization of the quality of the raw materials But it’s how chef Giovanni Milana brings together his family’s gastronomic roots with sincerity and precision that is a winning combination Select what you will: there’s no mistakes on the menu here The antipasti are precise: elegantly crafted perfectly portioned to just whet your appetite but let you play long enough with the tastes Typically served with a tangy and feisty mustard and one heck of a flavorful beef with just the right crunchiness to the salt flakes sprinkled on top to bring out its that clean Depending on the season it may also be served with a carpaccio of artichokes Order whatever they are doing with beans or lentils— they’re locally sourced and will blow any other bean you’ve ever tasted out of the water The meat and cheese platters offer expertly selected local products as well as products sourced from the finest corners of Europe The wild spinach with a bit of parmesan and a poached egg was pure The zucchini flowers overstuffed with local sheep-milk ricotta and sweet cherry tomatoes was an easy pleaser The abbacchio hamburger (made of their prized tender lamb) on homemade bread with a taziki sauce and fresh cut chips won by using all super-local components to accomplish an unmistakable greek taste (think souvlaki) in the guise of the American-classic First courses: The menu is divided into classics and seasonal dishes It can be hard to venture out into the seasonal dishes knowing that the classic cannelloni are perhaps the best in Lazio wether you choose to have them served white or red The pappardelle with a wild hare sauce is pasta at its perfection It goes without saying that pasta is made in house– if you come early you can peek into the kitchen where the grandmothers are building muscle Branch out and try something besides the classics– the seasonal pastas don’t miss the mark the second courses show just how awesome the meat from the region of Lazio is Don’t miss the abbacchio or the roasted hens Desserts arrive and we return to the precision and complication of the antipasto: perfectly composed Hands-down the best is the tiramisu: You can taste the yolks of the egg in the cream here the chunks of chocolate are rich and dark and the coffee and coco powder dusted on top hit the spot The homemade gelato are light with big flavors– served on a compote of cherries with the citrus zing of a Szechuan peppercorn and crunchy crumble was a delight And if the food weren’t enough the wine list might just make the connoisseur shed a tear when she recognizes how expertly it is organized– they hit all the marks: the right bottles from up and down the boot here in a town popping up on a hill surrounded by vines is an ideal setting to dive into this sincere and earthy wine but paired with the local foods it goes down with glee As you’ll undoubtedly keep returning it’s a pleasure to be welcomed by the waiters who are attentive the town of Olevano Romano is a lovely destination: a medieval town on a mountain with gorgeous 360 degree views After lunch you’ll appreciate the walk up to the remains of the former castle where you can relax in the sun as you digest Sora Maria e Arcangelo, Via Roma, 42, Olevano Romano RM. Tel 06 956 2402 (reservations are essential) tour tra cibo storia e arte all’Ara Pacis con lo chef Catapano I migliori ristoranti della tua città: Roma Chi siamo – Collabora con noi