Cantine Olivella Lacrimanero 2024, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC, Campania

Cantine Olivella Lacrimanero is a red Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio from the slopes of Monte Somma, the oldest part of the Vesuvius volcano, near Naples. It is a blend of three local grapes: 50% Piedirosso, 30% Olivella and 20% Aglianico, grown on sandy volcanic soils around Sant’Anastasia and Somma Vesuviana. The grapes are picked by hand into small crates, destemmed while keeping the berries whole, and fermented in tank with the skins, using indigenous yeasts. The wine then matures for about seven months in stainless steel and a further three months in bottle, with no oak ageing, so the focus stays on fresh fruit and the character of the volcanic soils.

In the glass it is an intense ruby red with purple reflections. The nose offers ripe cherry, blackberry, raspberry and plum, with hints of smoke, herbs and liquorice. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with fresh acidity, soft, fine tannins and a savoury, gently smoky finish.

Serve at around 16–18°C. It is a natural partner for the food of Campania: pork sausage with fennel, pasta with ragù, pizza, roast chicken, smoked mozzarella with tomatoes and mushroom risotto. It also works well with grilled or braised red meats and semi-hard cheeses. Enjoy it young and fresh, within a year or two.

Cantine Olivella is a small winery in Sant’Anastasia, on the Naples side of Vesuvius, founded in 2004 by Andrea Cozzolino, Ciro Giordano and Domenico Ceriello. It takes its name from the nearby Olivella spring on Monte Somma, where in 1974 a fragment of a Roman wine jug was found bearing a seal shaped like a stylised leaf, now the winery’s logo. Its 12 hectares of vineyards lie in Sant’Anastasia, Somma Vesuviana and Pollena Trocchia, within Vesuvius National Park, on sandy volcanic soils. The vines are ungrafted, the work is done by hand, and the estate is farmed organically. Olivella focuses on forgotten native varieties such as Catalanesca, Caprettone, Piedirosso and Olivella, making wines full of local character.