Storia
Ancient landscape and viticultural memory
Le Marmorelle occupies land of considerable archaeological and historical interest. The ancient Acquedotto Claudio runs beneath the estate, which also contains numerous caves. Many artefacts have been recovered here, including a Greek inscription identifying the place as sacred to the Muses. The Roman author Frontinus recorded that the surrounding lands were already known for their wines in antiquity.
Pallavicini stewardship
The Pallavicini family has been established in Lazio since the second half of the seventeenth century and has owned properties around Rome and Colonna for centuries. Historical records preserved at Palazzo Pallavicini document wine supplied by the family enterprise to the Vatican and to the British royal household.
The 2016 production project
In 2016 Don Sigieri Diaz Pallavicini, son of Princess Maria Camilla, initiated a new production project founded on openness to change as a means of improving quality. A new winery for white and red wines was created, equipped with conical stainless-steel “Lem-type” vats. These vessels permit separate vinification of individual vineyards so that the character and potential of each site can be studied and expressed. The project placed particular emphasis on the local varieties Malvasia Puntinata and Cesanese. The wine range and its packaging were also revised.
New shareholders in 2022
In January 2022, after approximately 350 years of family continuity, the Pallavicini wine company opened its capital to new shareholders alongside the family. Those specifically identified include Gabriele Bartolucci, a Luxembourg lawyer specialising in sports law, and Alvise Recchi, entrepreneur and founder of the international Sodali group. The partners share the objective of strengthening the position of wines from Rome’s vineyards in Italian and international wine culture.
Terroir
Location and elevation
Le Marmorelle is the largest of the Pallavicini estates. It lies within the Municipality of Rome, in a locality near Colonna that bears the name “Le Marmorelle.” The property occupies a classic Castelli Romani position between the edge of the Lazio volcano’s crater belt—the geographical backbone of the local denominations—and Rome.
The vineyards stand at approximately 200–230 metres above sea level. Their outlook encompasses Montecompatri, Rocca Priora, Colonna, Monteporzio, Tivoli, Sant’Angelo Romano and Monte Celio. Rome is close enough for the dome of St Peter’s Basilica to be visible from the vineyards.
Climate
The climate is mild. Winters are rarely severe, while maritime winds moderate summer heat.
Volcanic soils
The soils are volcanic and have a predominantly alkaline-potassic chemical profile. Their fertility is associated with high concentrations of potassium, magnesium, sodium and sulphur. A porous structure admits air and encourages oxidation of organic matter.
The adjoining Roman basalt quarries provide a visible expression of this volcanic geology and remain active. Basalt—the solidified lava of the volcano—has historically been used for Roman road foundations and sanpietrini paving stones. The area also yields a compact grey rock called peperino, locally known as sperone. Vineyard soils associated with production in the Municipality of Rome are additionally described as calcareous and well structured; other southern-Rome sites are characterised as pebbly and moderately calcareous.
Vinificazione
The detailed vineyard practices available for Le Marmorelle concern Malvasia Puntinata vineyards in the Municipality of Rome. The vines are trained to Guyot and spurred cordon at a density of 4,400 plants per hectare and range from 30 to 60 years old. Production is given as 80 quintals per hectare.
Harvest begins in early August. Grapes are picked entirely by hand during the first hours of the morning, with particular care devoted to selection.
No estate-wide certification or organic, biodynamic or regenerative farming regime is identified.
A vinification cellar stands within Le Marmorelle, surrounded by the estate’s vineyards and olive groves. The production renewal begun in 2016 introduced a new winery for both white and red wines. Its conical stainless-steel “Lem-type” vats allow grapes from each vineyard to be vinified separately, supporting detailed evaluation of the character and potential of individual sites.
The central objective of the project is to raise quality throughout production, with particular attention to the local varieties Malvasia Puntinata and Cesanese. The project also brought a revision of the wine range and new packaging.
For hand-picked Malvasia Puntinata from vineyards in the Municipality of Rome, the documented process begins with very gentle pressing and the use of free-run juice only, producing a 50% grape-to-wine yield. Fermentation remains at or below 16°C. This fruit is also used for sparkling production by the Martinotti method.
Filosofia
The production project initiated in 2016 treats openness to change as a prerequisite for growth and improvement. Its practical expression is the separate vinification of individual vineyards, intended to reveal the particular character and potential of each site rather than treating the estate’s fruit as a single undifferentiated source.
Quality improvement is paired with renewed attention to varieties closely associated with Lazio, especially Malvasia Puntinata and Cesanese. The broader approach combines inherited wine culture with contemporary cellar equipment, careful fruit selection and maturation intended to retain varietal character. Its declared values are authenticity, balance, quality and respect for the identity of both the variety and its place of origin.