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Montefiascone: the legend of the wine Est Est Est

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Montefiascone is the the Mons Faliscorum, the Faliscans mountain, who came here after the destruction of his land.

This village is situated on a hill and it is the highest village on the Bolsena lake. This is a strategic position because of the Cassia and especially because this is a way where many pilgrims go through.

The  surrounding area is full of precious vineyard which produce the worldwide famous wine Est! Est!! Est!!!

There is an amazing legend about this wine, a product which every years is celebrated in the village.

Vino Montefiascone Est! Est!! Est!!!

La leggenda del vino "Est!Est!!Est!!!"

It was 1111 A.C. and Enrico the fifth from Germany was going to Rome to be crowned the Holy Roman Empire and during his trip decided to stop for one day in Montefiascone.

With him there was Johannes Defuk, bishop and expert of wines.

The legend says they were always looking for great wines to taste, so usually there were their slave, Martino, visiting the places before them, just to discover the best wines.

They had decided a unique code in order to recognize the only inns with the best wine: Martino had to write on the door Est, meaning there is, when the wine was good, and if the wine had been excellent, he would have written Est Est.

When Martino arrived to Montefiascone and tasted the local wine, he decide to reward this drink and his quality writing on the door Est! Est!! Est!!!

"Est!Est!!Est!!!"

"Est!Est!!Est!!!"

The bishop, when tasted it, totally agreed with his slave and he loved the wine.

First, he decide to extend his staying in Montefiascone, then he bought a house and kept living here for the rest of his life.

It is said that one day he died because of too much wine drunk.

Johannes Defuk was buried in the San Flavian church, where still you can read this sencence: "Because of too much Est, he is buried Johannes Defuk".

The rich bishop, to thank Montefiascone and all the people which produced the wine, left a big heritage of about 24.000 ecu, for only one condition: to pour some wine on his tomb every anniversary of his death.

This rite became a tradition and still today every year all the people dress up with old costumes and re-experience the bishop death.