Grape Guide
Cesanese Comune
RedCesanese Comune is the larger-berried of the two Cesanese forms, a late-ripening black grape grown almost only in Lazio, in the hills east and southeast of Rome. It gives dry red wines of moderate colour, soft tannin and lively acidity, with a mulberry, cherry and spice profile, and it underpins Lazio's only red DOCG.
Key characteristics
- Black-skinned, with larger berries than the Cesanese di Affile form
- Ripens late, usually harvested in the first half of October
- Vigorous and productive, so yield control matters for quality
- Susceptible to powdery mildew
- Grown almost exclusively in Lazio, mainly in the provinces of Frosinone and Rome
Typical flavors
Major regions
Cesanese del Piglio DOCG (Frosinone) · Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC (Rome) · Lazio IGT reds
Also known as
Bonvino Nero · Cesanese Nero · Cesanese a Grosso Acino · Ferrigno Nero · Nero Ferrigno · Sanguinella · Cesanese Velletrano
Cesanese Comune is a black-skinned grape of the Apennine foothills south and east of Rome, and one of the two Cesanese forms recognised in Lazio. Its berries are larger than those of Cesanese di Affile, the form growers tend to rate higher, and the vine is the more vigorous and generous of the pair. Cesanese del Piglio and Cesanese di Olevano Romano treat the two interchangeably, so a bottle from either may contain one form or a mix of both. Cesanese di Affile DOC requires the Affile form.
In the glass the wines are medium in body and colour, with mulberry, red cherry, violet and a peppery or herbal edge, soft tannins and fresh acidity. The grape is usually harvested in the first half of October, and phenolic ripeness is not assured every year, so styles run from light and juicy to structured, spicy reds from well-exposed hillside sites. It remains a regional specialist rather than an international variety, with very small plantings outside Lazio.
Cesanese is regarded as native to Lazio, and its name is usually traced to a place called Cesano. A grape called Cesenese in a Florentine treatise of about 1600 may be an early mention, but the variety is documented with more confidence in Lazio in the early nineteenth century. Claims that it was already used in Roman winemaking are repeated often and cannot be confirmed.
Two forms are distinguished by growers and in appellation rules: Comune, with larger berries, and Affile, named for the town of Affile, where it is the main form. A local tradition holds that a Sicilian monk brought the Affile form there around 1820, though this is hard to test. Whether the two are separate varieties or biotypes of one is still discussed. No parentage has been published, though a later SNP study of Italian varieties found Cesanese d'Affile to be a second-degree relative of Pecorino and Pecorello.
Plantings fell sharply over the twentieth century as vineyards gave way to urban growth and industry, and as local white wines overtook red in popularity. The traditional style was sweetish and frothy. A revival since the 1990s and 2000s, led by producers in Piglio and Olevano Romano, has shifted the focus to dry, still wines.
Cesanese Comune ripens late and is vigorous and productive, with larger berries than the Affile form, which makes yield control the central quality decision. It is susceptible to powdery mildew, so canopy management and timely spraying matter in the humid pockets of its hills. Harvest normally falls in the first half of October, and in cool or wet vintages the grapes can fail to reach full phenolic ripeness. Growers prize sites with good drainage and sun exposure, typically on hillsides of volcanic or calcareous origin, over richer valley soil. The Affile form is reported to include roughly thirty clones, of which about ten are considered suitable for quality wine, while selection work on the Comune form is less advanced. Census figures from 2000 recorded about 1,100 ha across both forms, and more recent estimates for the three appellations range from several hundred to under 900 ha.
Dry still red is now the standard expression and the basis of the three appellations. Entry-level examples are bright and fruity, with cherry and mulberry fruit, soft tannins and quick drinkability, often released within a year of harvest. Superiore and Riserva wines come from older vines and better sites, with more body, firmer structure and spice, and in Piglio the Riserva needs at least 20 months of ageing, six of them in bottle. Oak is used sparingly by many producers, since the tannins are usually sufficient without it, and the longevity of the best wines is still being established. Some growers dry part of the crop on the vine or on racks to build concentration in richer cuvées. Older traditions survive in smaller volumes: semi-sweet (amabile), sweet (dolce) and lightly sparkling reds are still permitted in Olevano Romano. The grape is also used in blends in Lazio, usually as the dominant component with Sangiovese or Montepulciano.
Where it grows
Cesanese del Piglio DOCG
In Frosinone province, covering Piglio and Serrone and parts of Acuto, Anagni and Paliano. DOC status dates to 1973 and DOCG to 2008, making it Lazio's only red DOCG. At least 90% Cesanese (Affile and/or Comune) is required, with Superiore at a minimum of 13% alcohol and Riserva at 14%.
Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC
In Rome province, around Olevano Romano and part of Genazzano, with vineyards on the slopes of the Monti Simbruini at several hundred metres. The rules require at least 85% Cesanese and allow six types, from dry red to Riserva, which needs 24 months of ageing including six in bottle.
Cesanese di Affile DOC
In Rome province, around the town of Affile, historically the home of the Affile form. The Federdoc listing gives a minimum of 90% Cesanese di Affile. Some sources describe these as among the highest vineyards for the grape, on iron-rich clay soils.
Other Lazio wines
Cesanese appears in Lazio IGT reds and as a blending component in other local appellations, so labels without a Cesanese appellation may still carry it.
Outside Lazio
Plantings are minimal. Andrea Franchetti trialled the grape at Tenuta di Trinoro in Tuscany, found it unreliable to ripen or too strongly aromatic there, and later planted the Affile form on Etna in Sicily.