The Rome Index
Wine & vermouth in Rome
Lazio's local wines, and where to actually taste them.
Local wines
Frascati, a crisp white from the Castelli Romani hills just outside Rome, is the classic local pairing for Roman food — light, dry, and traditionally served young.
Enotecas
Monti and Trastevere both have small wine bars built around a short, well-chosen list rather than a long one — worth asking staff for a recommendation rather than the menu's biggest name.
Vermouth
Italian vermouth has seen a real resurgence in Rome's bars, often served simply, over ice with a twist, rather than only in cocktails.
How to order without expertise
You don't need wine knowledge to drink well in Rome — asking a waiter or enoteca staff for 'qualcosa del Lazio, non troppo caro' (something from Lazio, not too expensive) reliably produces a good, honest bottle, and staff generally respond well to an open, unpretentious request rather than a specific technical order.
Vermouth's Roman revival
Once seen as an old-fashioned digestivo, vermouth has had a genuine renaissance in Roman bars over the past decade, both in cocktails and served simply over ice with a twist — a number of small Italian producers making artisanal vermouth now feature specifically on Rome's better cocktail and wine bar menus.
