Christ’s Tears of Vesuvius: Or, How Naples Was Made
Among the wines of Campania is the Lacrima Cristi del Vesuvio DOC, literally “Christ’s Tears of Vesuvius.†The Rosso Lacrima boasts a lineage that goes back over 2500 years ago when the ancient Greeks brought over the Aglianico grape. The Aglianico is combined with the local Piedirosso grape. The Bianco Lacrima hails from two native grapes, Coda di Volpe and Falanghina. Both the red and white wines show the Campania penchant for colorful names: Piedirosso, or “red feet,†refers to the red root ends of the vine, and Coda di Volpe, or “fox-tail,†describe the animal-tail resemblance of the grape clusters. “Christ’s Tears of Vesuvius†wines take imaginative naming to another level. These wines are backed by several versions of a folk-lore, each of which recounts Lucifer’s fall from heaven. As the Lord cast him from the skies, Lucifer clutched at heaven, snapping off a piece that he relinquished when passing from Earth to the lower, fiery depths of his present home. The Lord cried tears of sorrow that rained upon the piece of heaven that Lucifer grabbed, from which grape vines sprung and contributed to the region’s first wine. This piece of heaven on earth became Naples and the surrounding areas. After a quick online search, I found that most Lacrima Cristi wines sell for a reasonable price of $15 - $25. Several producers make this wine, including Mastroberardino, Sessa, and the De Angelis family in Sorrento. The De Angelis estate is the oldest Lacrima Cristi producer on the coast of Sorrento, and it is from them that I chose Lacrima Cristi del Vesuvio Rosso and Bianco DOC 2009.

From my admittedly limited wine-classifying experience, I found that the ruby-red Lacrima Cristi is an earthy wine. The initial note is spicy black pepper, followed by undertones of dried fruit. I imagine this wine would pair well with a large plate of pasta all’amatriciana or all’arrabbiata. The Bianco Lacrima Cristi is pale-gold in color, and agreeably smooth, sans the initial spiciness of its red counterpart. It has a tropical-fruity scent that melts into a crisp citrus flavor, and is less complex than the red. Both wines would undoubtedly be crowd-pleasers, and are more suited to a casual setting. Sources: beau. “Divine Tears, Red Feet & Foxtails.†Basic Juice. “De Angelis Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio Rosso.†Total Wine and More. “De Angelis Rosso Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio 2001 – Italy.†The International Wine of the Month Club. Vol. 6 No. 4. Lynch, David. “This Month: Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.†Babbo Ristorante.
