Lacrima

posted by Kirstin in Wine, Guest Bloggers, Food

After a blind(folded) tasting, no one debating whether Lacrima’s delicious or complex. It’s clear by this point that it’s one hell of a grape. Rather the question is, what color is Lacrima?

Swirl it around in the glass, and it evokes scents normally devoted to Gewürztraminer. Lychee. Roses. Swirl the glass again and the orange blossom and peach scents released will convince you that you’re drinking muscato. Suddenly, you detect the pungent scent of dried strawberries. Then, actually sipping the wine provides you with floral notes, berry rich acidity and… light tannins?

Translating to tear in Italian, the red grape Lacrima is an ancient varietal indigenous to the Marche region of Italy. It’s traditionally produced in the “governo Toscano” method, which is a second fermentation most often including the must of dried or partially dried Lacrima grapes. Some Lacrimas also go through carbonic maceration.

After fermentation, Lacrima is treated like any other red wine, consumed in Italy, and some are sent to the rest of wine drinking world. Once it arrives in the new world, however, few know what to do with it on the dinner table. With characteristics ranging from rose and orange blossom to peach and dried strawberries, the grape does not
immediatelydirect itself to one particular food.

Without such direction, I would do one of a few of things.

1. Drink it with fresh chevre or mildly aged goat cheese. The Lacrima would bring out the fresh lemony and floral nature of the vibrant cheese and the chevre would know to leave well enough alone and let Lacrima be the star.

2. Sip the Lacrima with a crisp, roast chicken. Simple, and juicy on both the food and wine end.

3. Enjoy the wine with a cooked tomato dish with lighter meats like pork, veal, or chicken, or fresh fish. Herbs like rosemary and sage won’t compete with the floral flavors in the wine with fish or light meat or poultry.

4. Go the distance with artisan salamis. Fennel salami, sopresetta, coppa, drooling,……The juicy, bright acidity wine would highlight the luscious fattiness in the meat..

Even if you haven’t tasted Lacrima, as I hadn’t a month ago, what would you imagine eating it with?

Kirstin Jackson Ellis works as a wine bar manager and wine and food consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes about wine and food pairing at Vin de La Table, her luxurious and lighthearted blog.