Mamertino - Julius Caesar's Favorite Wine

Tradition states that Julius Caesar claimed that Mamertino was his absolute favorite wine and it truly must have been since this wine was served at the feast in Rome to mark Caesar’s third consulship (46BC). So, what made Mamertino wine so remarkable that one of the most famous men who ever lived revered it so highly?

Mamertino wine takes its name from the Mamertini, a group of ancient mercenary warriors from Campania, Italy who settled in the Milazzo region of northeastern Sicily around 310 BC. They names named themselves Mamers after the Roman god of war, Mars. The Mamertini were among the first to cultivate high-quality vineyards in this specific region, which resulted in the production of a wine which was highly prized by the Romans.

The Mamertini were not the first to produce wine on Sicily. Archaeological evidence shows that wine may have been produced as early as 8,000 BC by the first Sicilian tribes - Sicani, Siculi and the Elmians. However, it was the Phoenicians, who immigrated from the Levant in modern day Lebanon to Sicily in 1100 BC bringing their enology and viticulture expertise, that started Sicily on the path to being an important wine growing region in the Mediterranean. And, the Greeks in 800-700 BC who with their superior viticulture skills cemented Sicily as a premier wine growing region.

Even the famed Greek poet Homer, in his epic poem The Odyssey wrote about how wonderful the wine of Sicily was. Sicily was such a wonderful place to grow grapes that the Greeks nicknamed it Oenotria, the land of vines.

Julius Caesar and Mamertino Wine

What was this Ancient Mamertino wine like? This celebrated wine which became highly praised in Rome was known for its deep ruby-red color and a rich robust, or even "spicy" flavor with notes of blackberry, plum, orange, Mediterranean herbs, and spices like cinnamon, considered moderately sweet to dry. It was produced using native grapes like Nero d'Avola and Nocera, but unlike the modern version of the wine, Ancient Mamertino was fermented in large clay pots which gave the wine a slightly oxidative, nutty, and woody taste.

It’s no wonder that Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) awarded Ancient Mamertino wine a distinction of the 4^th best wine out of 195 wines.

After 2000 years, Mamertino wines still are a popular choice of wine connoisseurs. For the most part the wine remains unchanged. Today’s Mamertino Rosso (Red) is a full-bodied, smooth, and balanced wine with aromas of ripe red fruit, cherries, blackberries, and Mediterranean spices, with notes of chocolate or cocoa. And today there is a white wine option as well, The Mamertino Bianco which is produced from Grillo, Ansonica, or Catarratto grapes with flavors of citrus, white flower, and mineral notes. It is known for being dry, fresh, and well-balanced.

So, raise a glass of Mamertino and toast Julius Caesar, The Romans & Sicily!!