Rome Wine Tastings & Tours
Rome is not a vineyard city, which is why its wine tastings are so good: enoteche and sommeliers pour the whole country, from Barolo to Etna, in two hours, and the Castelli Romani hills with Frascati’s white wine are 30 minutes away for a day out. This page compares the top-rated wine tastings in Rome and the wine tours from it: sommelier-led Italian wine tastings in the centre, wine and food pairings, and half-day and full-day trips to Frascati and the Castelli.
Wine tastings in Rome
In the city: guided tastings of Italian wines in an enoteca, often with cheese and salumi; wine and pasta pairing dinners; aperitivo-hour tastings in Trastevere and Monti.
Out of the city: Frascati and the Castelli Romani, the hill towns south-east of Rome: white Frascati, a cellar visit, porchetta in Ariccia and a view of Lake Albano, in half a day.
Further: full-day tours reach Umbria or southern Tuscany, but they are long days; see Tuscany wine tours if wine is the point of the trip.
Wine in Rome: tastings in the centre and the Castelli Romani
Lazio’s own wines are modest, which has made Rome a city of enoteche rather than estates: the best wine bars pour from every region, and sommelier-led tastings are the easiest way to understand Italian wine as a whole. For vineyards, the Castelli Romani begin where the suburbs end, with Frascati the name everyone knows.
Sommelier tastings in the centre
Two hours, five or six wines, a sommelier who explains Sangiovese against Nebbiolo against Nero d’Avola, with pecorino, salumi and bread. Some run as wine-and-pasta pairings with a light meal; some as aperitivo tastings in Trastevere or Monti. Prices run 40 to 90 euros and they need no transport.
Frascati and the Castelli Romani
The volcanic hills south-east of Rome, 30 to 40 minutes by road, are where Romans have gone to drink since antiquity. Half-day tours visit a Frascati estate for a cellar walk and a tasting of the dry white, stop in Ariccia for porchetta, and look over Lake Albano from Castel Gandolfo. Full days add a second estate and lunch. Expect 70 to 150 euros.
Lazio’s other wines
Cesanese, the region’s serious red from the hills east of the city, and Est! Est!! Est!!! from Montefiascone appear on tasting lists and in enoteche; they are worth asking for and rarely worth a day trip.
Going further
Full-day tours from Rome reach Montefalco in Umbria or the southern edge of Tuscany, but each is a long day with a lot of road. If wine is the reason for the trip, base in Tuscany instead: Tuscany wine tours.
Choosing
An evening free: a sommelier tasting. A half-day free: Frascati. A wine-focused trip: leave Rome for Tuscany or Piedmont. Book a week ahead in season; tastings are small.
Read next: Rome food & wine itinerary: 3 days · Rome & the Castelli Romani in 4 days
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.
FAQ about Rome Wine Tastings & Tours
Frequently asked questions
Why book a wine experience in Rome?
Because in a city with no vineyards, a good enoteca is the tour: a sommelier and six glasses will teach you more about Italian wine than any single region can.
Is there wine tasting in Rome?
Yes, and it is the best way to taste all of Italy in one sitting: sommelier-led tastings in enoteche run daily in the centre.
What is Frascati?
A dry white wine from the Castelli Romani hills south-east of Rome, and the town it is named after, 30 minutes from the centre.
Can I do a wine tour from Rome in half a day?
Yes: Frascati and the Castelli Romani tours run in about five hours with a cellar visit and tasting.
How much does a wine tasting in Rome cost?
About 40 to 90 euros in the city; 70 to 150 for Castelli Romani tours.
Rome or Tuscany for wine?
Tuscany, if wine leads the trip; Rome’s tastings are excellent for an evening, but the vineyards are elsewhere.