Oct 4th-Lacrima di Morro d’Alba

Lacrima di Morro d’Alba is a red grape indigenous to the Marche region of central Italy. There are many grapes that have Lacrima as part of their name, which usually refers to the teardrop shape of their grapes. Unlike those, it is thought that Lacrima di Morro d’Alba got that portion of its name from the small drops of juice they give off when fully ripe. Like many other grapes, this one was also near extinction. In the mid 1980s, it was recognized on the national register of varieties in Italy to protect the grape. At this time, it was planted on less than 3 acres. As a part of being added to the national register, it was awarded DOC status. The corresponding law stated wines from this appellation must contain at least 85% Lacrima di Morro d’Alba. It can be blended with far more famous varieties such as Sangiovese and Montelpulciano. It is known to produce approachable wines with intense color. These wines can be dry or sweet. If they are sweet, they are made with grapes that have been slightly sun dried in a process called passito. This process decreases water content, which concentrates acid, sugar, and flavors. Wines can be made with varying degrees of sweetness. One quick way to determine if the wine you are purchasing could be one of the sweeter incarnations is to look at the alcohol content. Generally, the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the wine could be. This is because the fermentation process was stopped prior to the complete conversion of all sugar to alcohol.