The Lacrima (lak-kree-mah) grape variety is one that I recently came across in a rosé blend. It is a native grape from the Marche region of Italy.

It is also known by the name of the wine that is used produce - Lacrima di Morro d'Alba.

The name of the grape seems to have derived from the fact that the berries, when ripe, ooze juice droplets that appear as tears (lacrima means tear in Italian). This is one of the reasons that the variety has had such a decline in the early 20th Century – the split grapes attract pests and diseases and were largely replaced by grape varieties that were easier to cultivate. But, there has been a recent rediscovery of the Lacrima grape and it is being replanted.

It has a black berry, with thick and consistent, blue-black colored skin. It produces intense ruby red wines with purple hues. The nose can be aromatic with notes of violets. With age, it can develop notes of strawberry, cherry, blackberries and blueberries. Lacrima di Morro d’Alba is a medium bodied wine with smooth tannins. And, it also works very well as a blending grape. Cheers!