Between tradition and modernity
From ancient Rome to tables around the world. A story of family, tradition and innovation. The Cantina Bacco, located at Nettuno, has ancient roots in the local history of winemaking. It all started thanks to the intuition of some producers united by the desire to nurture and protect the indigenous grapes from the area, which have been cultivated in those places for ages. Since 1973, this enterprise operates under the name Cantina Bacco, still run by the third generation of the same families.
History
In 1973 some vine-growers pooled and established the Cantina Bacco of Nettuno to continue a tradition lasting over the centuries.
In this rich soil, warmed by a friendly sun all the time and with a constant favorable climate, vines like the famous Cacchione of Nettuno, cultivated with high professionalism, produce timely grapes that are accurately selected, leveraging on the ancient traditions and the modern techniques; these grapes give to the connoisseurs the delicacy that in the past delighted Marco Tullio Cicerone’s table in his villa of Torre Astura and the opulent tables of the Emperors in the Roman Antium.
The flagship product of Cantina Bacco is the Pantastico produced from Cacchione grapes.
In the works of Latin authors you can often read quotes concerning wines coming from the promontory that is situated between the Latina Tellus to the Tyrrhenian sea, extreme border of the province of Rome, touristic destination for international stays, and gave birth to the secular history of Anzio and Nettuno. Latin writer Pliny the Elder (23/24-79 AD), in his work “Naturalis historia”, called the Cacchione “Pantastico grape, full of juice and must”. Red and white wines inebriate table-companions during banquets of the patrician families and were the favourite ones for Emperors Nerone and Caligola, both born round here and often resident in the famous and luxurious Imperial Palace in the Roman Antium. The “vinum merum” celebrated by poets was offered to the goddess Fortune, protectress of Anzio, in her renowned temple as Horace wrote “O diva gratum, quæ regis Antium”.
During the long silence of the Middle Ages, Antium was destroyed by the Saracen pirates and on its ruins was established Neptunum; the survived population moved to agriculture and found in viticulture its emerging economy. According to the ancient documents, from 1400 a constant production of vintage wines started; it was so appreciated from the Saracen invaders that they forgot their places of origin, they settled here, they converted in Christian religion and integrated into the local population. Roman noble families like Colonna, Orsini, Borghese and Caetani, cardinals of the Church like Albani, Cesi and Costaguti encouraged and protected wine production; starting from it, a commercial activity with clear fame grew. Wines of this area were sent to other places in typical boats called triremes. (see “Capitoli delle gabelle di Nettuno”, dated 1560 AD).
