How many DOCG wines does Lazio have?

Three: Frascati Superiore, Cannellino di Frascati and Cesanese del Piglio. Lazio also has around twenty-seven DOCs, including Frascati, Castelli Romani, Marino, Roma and Cesanese di Olevano Romano.

How much wine should you allow per person at an event?

There is no official rule. A 0.75-litre bottle gives about six 125 ml glasses; many caterers start from half a bottle per person for a dinner and adjust it for duration, season and type of guests. The figure is indicative.

Can I bring my own wine to the caterer?

It depends on the caterer and the venue. Some accept it free of charge, others charge a fee per bottle opened, known as corkage (*diritto di tappo*), and others don't allow it. Ask in writing before signing.

What wine goes with Roman cooking?

A white from the Castelli Romani, such as Frascati or Marino, goes well with fried food, artichokes and pasta dishes like cacio e pepe. A red such as Cesanese stands up to spring lamb and more robust dishes. For desserts, Cannellino di Frascati is often used.

Lazio wines for events in Rome: Frascati, Cesanese and pairings

In short

Lazio has three DOCGs: Frascati Superiore, Cannellino di Frascati and Cesanese del Piglio.

Whites from the Castelli Romani go well with fried food, artichokes and Roman pasta dishes.

Cesanese is the local red for spring lamb and meat mains.

Quantities are indicative: start from the glasses per bottle and adjust for duration and season.

Serving Lazio wines at an event in Rome is a natural choice: they come from vineyards half an hour from the city, from the Castelli Romani to Ciociaria, and they pair with the cooking they have accompanied for centuries. It is not compulsory: many caterers in Rome offer lists with wines from other regions, and a seafood or international menu may call for different labels. This guide helps you choose the appellations, the pairings and the quantities.

Lazio's appellations

Lazio has 3 DOCGs and 27 DOCs. DOCG and DOC are Italy's protected designations of origin, DOCG being the stricter of the two.

The three DOCGs

DOCG	Type	Area	Use at an event
Frascati Superiore	Dry white	Castelli Romani	Aperitivo, starters, pasta courses
Cannellino di Frascati	Sweet white	Castelli Romani	Desserts, ciambelline, cheeses
Cesanese del Piglio	Red	Ciociaria, province of Frosinone	Meat mains, spring lamb

Cesanese is made from a grape grown almost only in Lazio, Cesanese, in its Affile and Comune varieties.

The DOCs closest to Rome

Of the DOCs on the list, those that come up most often at Roman events are:

Frascati, Marino, Castelli Romani, Colli Albani, Colli Lanuvini, Velletri, Zagarolo and Montecompatri Colonna, all in the Castelli Romani area;
Roma, a DOC that carries the city's name;
Cesanese di Olevano Romano and Cesanese di Affile, for reds;
Cori, where Bellone, a local white grape, is also grown;
Cerveteri and Tarquinia, towards the northern coast;
Aleatico di Gradoli and Moscato di Terracina, for sweet or aromatic wines.

An appellation on its own does not guarantee a wine that suits your event. It is a starting point for the choice; after that, the producer matters.

Pairings with Roman cooking

Moment / dish	Lazio wine	Why
Aperitivo with fried food (supplì, courgette flowers)	Frascati or Marino, including a sparkling version if available	The acidity cuts through the frying
Roman-style or Jewish-style artichokes	A white from the Castelli Romani	Artichokes are hard to pair: a simple, fresh white works
Cacio e pepe, gricia, carbonara	Frascati Superiore or a fuller-bodied white	It holds up to salt and richness
Amatriciana	A fuller-bodied white or a light red	Tomato opens the door to reds too
Spring lamb, oxtail stew	Cesanese	The local red, for full-flavoured meat
Fish from the coast	A white from Cori (Bellone) or the Castelli Romani	Freshness and aroma
Ciambelline al vino, tarts	Cannellino di Frascati or Aleatico di Gradoli	Sweet wines for the end of the meal

These are general pairings, not rules. Ask the caterer or their sommelier to let you taste two or three wines with the menu dishes at the tasting.

How much wine to allow

There is no official table. A basic calculation starts from arithmetic:

a 0.75-litre bottle gives about six 125 ml glasses;
a 1.5-litre magnum about 12 glasses.

Many caterers start from an indicative estimate of half a bottle per person for a dinner with wine on the table, then adjust it. What changes the estimate:

Factor	Effect
Long duration (wedding, gala)	More wine
Summer and heat	More water and whites, fewer reds
Open bar after dinner	Less wine on the table towards the end
Corporate lunch	Much less, often one glass each
Many young people or non-drinkers	Less wine, more soft drinks

Ask whether wine is charged on consumption (you pay for the bottles opened) or as a flat rate (a fixed price per person). The flat rate is more predictable; consumption may cost less if guests drink little. For the other drinks costs, read about extra catering costs, and for after-dinner drinks the guide to the wedding open bar.

Service and temperature

Whites chilled but not ice-cold: a white served too cold loses its aroma.
Reds at cellar temperature, not that of a terrace in July.
Ice and ice buckets: who brings them? They are needed in summer, especially outdoors.
Glasses: are they the caterer's, hired or the venue's? How many per person?

Bringing your own wine and corkage

Do you have a family cellar in the Castelli Romani or a friend who makes wine? Many couples want to serve their own. Before deciding:

ask whether the caterer accepts it;
ask whether there is corkage, a charge for each bottle opened and served;
ask whether service (glasses, chilling, pouring) is still included.

Terms vary a great deal from one caterer to another and from one venue to another: put them in writing.

Alcohol and minors

Italian law prohibits selling or serving alcoholic drinks to anyone under 18 (art. 14-ter of Law 125/2001, as amended). At a party with young people, such as an 18th birthday party or a first communion, ask the caterer how they manage drinks service and provide a wide choice of soft drinks.

Sparkling wine and soft drinks

The toast usually calls for a sparkling wine. In Lazio some appellations also allow sparkling versions, but the offer depends on the producers: ask the caterer what they propose from the region and what from elsewhere.

Soft drinks deserve the same attention as wine. Plenty of water, especially from June to September, fresh juices, lemonade made on site and at least one alcohol-free alternative for the toast. Guests who are driving, pregnant women, young people and those who don't drink by choice shouldn't have to settle for a glass of water.

Questions to ask the caterer

Which Lazio wines are on your list, and from which producers?
Is wine charged on consumption or as a flat rate per person?
How many bottles do you plan for my number of guests and my duration?
Can I taste the wines at the tasting with the menu dishes?
Do you accept wine I bring? Is there corkage?
Who serves the wine, and until what time?
Are glasses, ice buckets and ice included?
Do you have dessert wines and good-quality soft drinks?

Before asking for a quote

Choose the style of the menu first, then the wine. You can compare suppliers in the wedding caterers section or in apericena catering for more informal events. For pairings with the dishes, see the Roman cooking menu. When you are ready, request a quote stating whether you want local wines.