The Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC covers five municipalities of Alta Tuscia, in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio: Montefiascone, Bolsena, San Lorenzo Nuovo, Grotte di Castro and Gradoli. It was recognised by the decree of 3 March 1966 and has about 344 hectares, with an output of 24,950 hectolitres. The historic area of Bolsena and Montefiascone may use the Classico designation, for the Bianco only.
The legend of the name
According to legend, in 1111 Henry V of Germany was travelling to Rome to receive the imperial crown from Pope Paschal II. In his retinue was a bishop, Johannes Defuk, a wine connoisseur, who sent his cupbearer Martin ahead to taste the wines of the inns. The agreed signal was to write «Est», meaning «there is good wine», by the door, and «Est Est» if the wine was especially good. On reaching Montefiascone, Martin repeated the signal three times, with six exclamation marks: «Est! Est!! Est!!!».
The grapes
The wine combines 50 to 65% Trebbiano Toscano, called Procanico here, 10 to 20% Malvasia Bianca Lunga or Malvasia del Lazio and 5 to 40% Trebbiano Giallo, locally called Rossetto; other white grapes may reach 35%.
The styles
The Bianco may be dry or sweet; a Spumante is also made with the same composition. The rules set no minimum ageing periods, and the minimum alcohol is 10.5%.
The dry Bianco goes with lake fish, legume soups, vegetables and white meats; the sweet version with dry biscuits and pastries; the Spumante with aperitifs. Lazio is also home to Frascati and the Castelli Romani; just across the Umbrian border lies Orvieto, which also uses Procanico.
