Montefiascone is located on the top of the highest hill of mount volsini. This city built at the beginning of the Middle Ages entered the dominions of the church in the 7th century, of which it became a very important center.
This town is very famous for the production of a particular wine, the EST EST EST di Montefiascone. This is an Italian white wine originating from the province of Viterno in northern Lazio.
Legend has it that in 1111 Henry V of Germany tried to reach Rome with his army to receive the crown of Holy Roman Emperor from the Pope of that time, Pasquale II. He was also accompanied by a bishop, Johannes Defuk, a wine connoisseur. The bishop traveled with the idea of tasting and discovering any wine of great importance, that is why he sent his cupbearer named Martino, in search of the best wines for each place they passed on the way to Rome.
Between the two they agreed to have a sign: if Martino had found some wine he would have written on the door “EST” (there is) abbreviation of “EST BONUM” which means there is good (wine). If the wine was extremely good, Martino would have written “Est Est” twice. Upon arriving at Montefiscone and tasting the local wine, he immediately noticed its exceptional quality and to communicate it he decided to write the sign with an exclamation point Est! Est! Est!. When the bishop arrived at the town of Montefiascone he totally agreed with the cupbearer and that was why he decided to return to the town and remain there until the day of his death. The Bishop was buried in the church of San Flaviano and you can still read his plaque “For too Est! here lies death my lord Johannes Defuk ”.
In memory of this event, every year the citizens of Montefiascone celebrate the traditional Wine Fair in the first half of August.
