Le Marche is a central Italian region on the Adriatic Sea. It’s famous for one of Italy’s best white grapes, Verdicchio, but also has some really cool red grapes that are like hidden gems – just like the region they come from.
Lacrima is one of those grapes. Lacrima means teardrop. This either refers to the shape of the grape, or because drinking it makes you cry happy tears!
Lacrima was drunk by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa when he was in the area in 1167.
There were only a few plantings of Lacrima left back when the DOC was created in 1985, but today there are around 200 hectares around the village of Morro d’Alba. Don’t confuse it with the more famous wine village called Alba in Piemonte around which you’ll find Barolo and Barbaresco. Morro d’Alba is in Le Marche, inside the province of Ancona. Morro d’Alba comes from the words “rock” and “hill”, 2 things grapes tend to like.
Lacrima is an aromatic red grape variety that gives extremely dark almost black wines.
If you’ve had the pleasure of tasting a Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, it’s an experience you’ll never forget. The nose is floral whereas the flavors are of lavender, cinnamon and nutmeg paired with bright black cherry. It’s so distinct.
Winery: Garofoli (http://www.garofolivini.it/)
Maps by the WINE SCHOLAR GUILD (www.winescholarguild.com)
Join Pierre and Rebecca Gouttenoire on a wine tour: http://www.grape-tours.com / http://www.grapetrotters.com
