About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The vineyards are in the Marche, on clay and limestone soils at 250–300 m above sea level.
Vinification
The wine is a sweet red made from Lacrima, with wild cherry juice and spices added. The cherry is the visciola, an ancient variety of wild sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) known for its deep red colour and tart taste. Recipes vary considerably from place to place and from one winery to another.
In the traditional recipe, the sour cherries are picked in the first weeks of July and left with sugar. Fermentation begins, and the juice slowly develops into a delicate, aromatic syrup. The syrup is decanted for several days and then filtered. It has a high sugar concentration and is added to the wine, which triggers a second fermentation. Fermentation is stopped when the strength reaches 14°.
Label / history
Flavoured wines are an old Marche tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, when they had a central place at aristocratic banquets and on farmers' tables. The wine is produced in the municipalities of Cagliano and Pergola in the province of Pescara, and in the Castelli di Jesi area in the province of Ancona.
Cherry wine was once made to soften strong, tannic wine and make it more enjoyable. The biographer and librarian Vespasiano da Bisticci wrote that Duke Federico da Montefeltro "hardly drinks wine unless it is cherry or pomegranate wine." More recently its smooth, rounded character led it to be seen as a drink exclusively for women. Today it is considered a wine for quiet contemplation, to be tasted and savoured while rediscovering ancient aromas.
