The secrets of Terre del Veio

by Samantha Collins

A trip into the cellars reveals not only wine but an Etruscan tomb..
Cantine Aperte is an annual event, when the vineyards and cantine across Italy open their doors to all-comers to learn about and of course to taste local wines. The high profile of this event attracted over 1 million visitors last year and helps to spread the message about the variety of wines on offer in the different regions of Italy to tourists, buyers, and wine connoisseurs alike. This year over 1000 wineries took part in the event including 22 from the Lazio Region and Rome Post was invited along to visit the Terre del Veio as part of the celebrations – not only to taste the wines on offer but also to witness a rare opening of an Etruscan tomb that was recently discovered underneath the vineyards.

Surfacing into the daylight, it was time for a walk through the vineyards, and to enjoy the scenery which seems a million miles from the nearby ring road and high rises of Rome. Interspersed with the vines are rose bushes, which I learnt were warning signs of diseases which may attack the vines, as they always attack roses first. Then of course a tour of the cantine, and some important wine sampling, accompanied by the best and longest lunch I have ever eaten.

Luca di Michele, sommelier of Terre del Veio: “It is important to concentrate on the wine but wines are complemented by certain foods. All the food was produced locally, apart from the lasagne sheets”.

Course followed course as we tasted two pasta dishes, rabbit, chicken, pork and an amazing semi-freddo with amaretto dessert, all of course accompanied by an appropriate wines. In the days of pre-packed food, importing and preservatives, it was an experience to sit and eat where you could see the food you were eating growing. They produce six wines, and we worked our way through them all including Rosato Risona, a delicious rose that it was quite tangy, two Cremere, (both the red and the white), and ending with a dessert wine.

“ Promoting the wines of the region is important” continued Luca. “People are just starting to become aware of the surprising variety of wines and local foods that Lazio has on offer. For those interested there is a free wine and food tasting event in Sunday 7th June featuring typical products from the Lazio Region – Please come!”

For details of the Terre del Veio and to visit the shop which sells not only the wine, but also honey and olive oil, click on www.terredelveio.it
For details of the wine and food tasting event on Sunday 7 June, to be held in the wonderful setting of
the Park Hotel, Villa Grazioli,
Frascati, 5pm – 9pm
email info@sommeliers.it
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Originally an Etruscan City situated 17 km north of Rome, Veio spent years fighting for territory with Rome from which it is divided by the River Tiber, until finally admitting defeat in 396 BC, when defeated by Furio Camillo.
Many archeological remains from this time have been found, but the ‘Tomba dei Leoni Ruggenti’ (Tomb of the Roaring Lions) was only discovered in 2006, right in the middle of the vineyard, after a tomb robber gave clues to its whereabouts.
It is the oldest Etruscan tomb in Europe, and also the oldest burial chamber with painted walls, dating to around late 7th century BC, but the lack of bones inside means that dating had to be done through some of the pottery pieces found inside. It also means that no one knows who the tomb was built for, although it is suspected that two people were buried inside. The walls are covered with pictures of ducks and also of lions, an animal that the Etruscans of Rome had probably never faced in real life causing some speculation about how they knew of their existence. The pictures are amazingly well kept considering their age, and to ensure their preservation, the tomb is rarely open to preserve the humidity inside.