The colour is medium ruby, with purple hues. On the nose vinous, with aromas of roses, violets, stewed strawberries, and orange peels, among others. In the mouth mid-bodied, balanced, and tasty. The aftertaste is long lasting.
This cheerful and convivial wine is produced under the Lacrima di Morrro d’Alba DOC by Vicari.
Lacrima is a dark-skinned grape variety native to Italy’s Marche region. Nowadays is used almost exclusively in the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC wines.
The word lacrima means teardrop in Italian and is probably reference to the fact that the berries have a tendency to split, dripping juice down the outside of the bunch. This is probably one of the reasons why the variety went into decline. In fact, the split grapes attract pests and diseases and in the early 20th century were largely replaced by grape varieties that were easier to cultivate.
Improvements in vine growing and winemaking and the creation in 1985 of the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC helped in preserving this ancient variety. There are evidences that in 1167 Frederick Barbarossa drunk a wine made from this grape when he stayed in the castle of Morro d’Alba during the siege of Ancona.
The Lacrima grape’s ancestry is still debated in the world of vine identification, but DNA profiling has suggested links with Aleatico.
The DOC foresees the production with a minimum of 85% of Lacrima, even if many winemakers tend to produce it mono-varietal to enhance its strong aromatic qualities. Although they are generally made from 100% Lacrima grapes (as in this case), Lacrima di Morro d’Alba wines can also contain up to 15% Montepulciano and/or Verdicchio grapes.
For this bottle I paid 10.50 EUR directly at the winery, when I visited it during last year’s All Saints Holidays.
Country: Italy
Region: Marche
Grapes: Lacrima di Morro d’Alba
Type: Red
Vintage: 2022
Producer: Vicari
Price range: Economic (<15 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 4/5