WINE OF THE WEEK - 2020 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio Rosso

YOU CAN ALSO LISTEN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS WINE! —-> THE WINEITUPANOTCH PODCAST, EPISODE 12

Boy oh boy, is it ever cold here in Toronto right now! We are approaching the end of January and of course, it should be cold in this neck of the woods at this time of year but this year, Mother Nature is really having fun. We received 45 centimetres of snow in one day, which makes the usual snowstorms that dump 15-20 centimetres of snow and leave people gasping for air seem absolutely paltry by comparison. And then, if that wasn’t enough, it has been really cold…and the snow has kept coming! Eep!

Suffice it to say that I am ready for winter to be over already! Of course, there is no chance of that happening given it is still January. I’ll have to find my joy in other things, like wine. At the end of the day, if that’s the excuse, then that’s the excuse, am I right? ;-)

This week’s wine is one I’ve been wanting to try ever since I learned about it during my Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) studies. It’s not very well known, nor widely available outside of its native market, and it’s got a super cool name to boot - as you can see from the title of this blog post, the name is a mouthful! When my eyes cast upon it during my weekly Wine Wednesday trek to the liquor store, I knew I had to get it, try it and share it with anyone who cares to listen to what I have to say.

Are you ready to get into it? Cool - let’s do it!

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2020 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso

This week’s wine comes to us from one of my favourite countries in our beautiful world, namely Italy. Undeniably the home to incredible food, wine and culture, Italy is a hotbed of wines that still need to be discovered by me and thus, you’ll find me poking around this country’s wine offerings on a very frequent basis. What I especially love is when I chance upon a wine that is not from the ring of well-known, highly lauded, sometimes over-hyped wine regions….which is exactly what we have this week! Read on to learn all that you need to know about this week’s wine.

What does this wine cost?

$22.95.

What in the (wine) world is Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio?

This is such an interesting question, because there is a lot to unpack. Let me do my best to break it down!

Vesuvio is the name of an designated appellation (DOC) in Southern Italy that takes its name from the active volcano that is close by, Mount Vesuvius. Interesting fact - Mount Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the Europen mainland, most recently having erupted back in 1944. However, most would agree that its claim to fame is actually that it is the volcano that most famously destroyed the city of Pompeii!

Lacryma Christi an appellation that is nested within the Vesuvio DOC. Wines made under the Lacryma Christi DOC must meet certain strict criteria, including which communes they originate from (within the broader Vesuvio DOC), what grapes they can be made of, what percentage of alcohol they must contain etc. Of all of the wines from the Vesuvio DOC, Lacryma Christi is certainly up there in terms of world renown.

So, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio means literally, Lacryma Christi of Vesuvio.

But it also has another literal meaning - Lacryma Christi means “Tears of Christ” in latin. Neat, right? Named by monks in the Middle Ages, legend has it that it was so named because God cried when he found a corner of heaven above the Gulf of Naples (where Mount Vesuvius is) that had been stolen by Lucifer. The tears God shed fell on the mountain and caused the vines to grow. An elaborate theory? Perhaps. But I think it is also a colourful and artistic one! :)

Where does this wine come from?

I’ve already mentioned that Lacryma Christi comes from southern Italy. To be more specific, this appellation is located in the Campania region near the toe of the boot shaped part of the country. This is a region that is blessed with sunny skies, warm waters and idyllic days. It is home to the city of Naples and the stunningly picturesque Amalfi Coast.

One of the less fiscally prosperous and more rural regions of Italy, there are less wines from the Campania region that are deemed to be excellent on a world stage and/or are available at the global level. Having said that, this region can be the source of wonderful wines in my view, and as is the case with this week’s wine!

Why is this wine unique?

So many reasons - all noted above :)

Keep in mind that while this week’s wine is a red wine, Lacryma Christi comes in white and rose versions as well.

Who makes this wine?

This wine is made by Mastroberardino, one of the most famous producer’s and winemaking families in Italy. Largely recognized as being the most prominent producer in the Campania region, Mastroberdino is well known for their vast portfolio, their wines from the top appellations of Campania and their passion for reinvesting in indigenous varietals and winemaking techniques and traditions. The Mastroberardino family has been making wine for 11 generations now and they own 14 estates across the region.

Another interesting point is that the Mastroberardinos have been very involved in the Pompeii excavations, with a focus on uncovering the prominence of wine in this ancient society.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Piedirosso

Vineyard Age - 15 years

Soil Types - volcanic ash and small volcanic stones

Vineyard Exposure - mostly south-east facing

Vinification - fermented in stainless steel

ABV - 12.5%

Residual Sugar - 2 g/L

My tasting notes:

This is a bold and aromatic wine, bursting with flavour and scintillating aromas! A bright translucent cherry red in the glass, this wine twinkles in the light. On the nose, it is redolent with aromas of cherries, raspberries, red plums, smoke, earth and black pepper. On the palate, the acidity is ripe, the tannins are plush and the wine delivers ample notes of red fruit such as sour cherries, strawberries and pomegranate and cinnamon and cloves. This is definitely an interesting wine - somewhat reminiscent of a bold Chianti, but unique in its own way.

Aging potential:

1-2 years. This wine could use a bit more time to soften in the bottle.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Enjoy this wine with salumi, pizza or a tomato-sauce based pasta (with or without meat).

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 89 points

An interesting wine, no doubt. It leaves you thinking, which is always a good thing when it comes to wine!

If you’re located in Ontario, you can find this wine at the LCBO under Product #340588.

FINAL VERDICT:

This is an interesting wine, especially for those who like to try new things and/or are really in love with Italian wines and cuisine (my hand is up!). If you like a tangy, spicy wine or want something new to pair with pizza and pasta, you should definitely give this one a try.

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers,

XOXO

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