The Super-Romans Have Arrived
Tom King, Fine Wine Manager on 22 May 2025
You might have heard of 'Super-Tuscan' wines. Sassicaia and Tignanello were first released in the 1970s, and made from grape varieties that were outside the DOC regulations, meaning that they had to be labelled as vino da tavola, despite commanding premium prices. Such was their success that they were subsequently joined by a host of imitators.
Forty years later, the Börner family founded Ômina Romana in the Alban Hills, south of Rome, aiming to producing the very best wine possible from this unique terroir. Just as happened in Tuscany decades earlier, through experimentation they discovered that their most successful varieties did not comply with the stipulations of the Roma DOC. Rather than compromise on quality, the Börners instead decided to grow and bottle what worked best for their soils and climate, using the less restrictive Lazio IGP appellation, and giving rise to the Super-Roman sobriquet.
Owner and CEO, Katharina Börner, recently introduced her wines to The Great Wine Co. team, explaining that the Alban Hills are the remnants of an enormous volcano that exploded many thousands of years ago. The area is blessed with a benign climate, significantly cooler than the nearby city of Rome, thanks to descending cool air from the Apennines at night, and sea breezes off the Mediterranean during the day. There are few extremes of temperature here, and water is in plentiful supply - all favourable omens, hence the name Ômina Romana.
Paula Pacheco, Agronomist and Technical Director, Simone Sarda, Winemaker, and Katharina Börner, Owner and CEO
We immediately fell in love with the fruits of the Alban soil and the Börners' labour. The whites are wonderfully textured, with layers of complexity, while the reds have an understated, supple elegance. We highly recommend them.
WHITE WINES
The rich, golden colour of Hermes Diactoros II leads into sumptuous aromas of baked peach, yellow apples and vanilla custard. On the palate, complex notes of dry ginger and candied peel, with luscious texture from six months' lees-ageing with bâtonnage in stainless steel vats. This is such a gorgeously rounded, generous style that it comes as a slight surprise that no oak is used. It is composed of about 60% Viognier, supported by Bellone, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng and Incrocio Manzoni.
An irresistible and fabulously expressive Chardonnay, this exudes generous notes of ripe pineapple, vanilla cream, chamomile and salted caramel. It is irresistibly succulent, juicy, rich and delicious, with a fresh, mouthwatering finish. A really excellent wine, this is made along the lines of top Pouilly-Fuissé. No oak is used: this is kept for six months in stainless-steel vats on the fine lees, with occasional stirring.
RED WINES
This could be described as 'Roman claret' - a cuvée of classic Bordeaux varieties, with mellow, melded aromas of baked blackcurrant, pomegranate, toast, black pepper and classic claret leafiness. The texture is super-supple, with silky tannins and understated balance. A small portion of the wine is aged in oak barrels, the majority in stainless steel. Composed of around 50% Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this is absolutely enjoyable immediately.
A wine with masses of character: deep, musky notes intertwine with black truffle, toasted oak, roast chestnut and mushroom. It has a succulent, rounded and mellow texture, with mature tannin and lovely balance. The signature red variety of the Lazio region, Cesanese is noted for ripening extremely late in the season, and requires careful handling. Katharina says that the knack is in striking the balance between making a wine that is too thin, and a punch in the face! Ironically, despite being very traditional for the area, a wine made from 100% Cesanese cannot be labelled as Roma DOC.
