PRODUCTION AREA The area falls within the Province of Ancona and includes the entire municipal territory of Morro d’Alba, Monte San Vito, San Marcello, Belvedere Ostrense, Ostra, and Senigallia, with the exclusion of the valley floors and the sea-facing slopes of the hills in the Municipality of Senigallia. The surface areas certified as DOC have increased from 7 hectares in the year the designation was granted to the current 206 hectares (2005 data). GRAPE VARIETY This wine is obtained from an ancient indigenous grape variety, the Lacrima, which was traditionally "married" to the elm and maple trees and cultivated in the rich tree lines that characterized the hills of the production territory. Only in the early eighties were some producers, convinced of the opportunity to publicize and enhance the product, supported by the local administration, able to restore new splendor to this grape variety. The name Lacrima (Tear) comes from the fact that the skin of the grape, when it reaches the point of ripeness, cracks, allowing the contained juice to drip, or "weep." However, the skin of the Lacrima grape is quite thick, which, during the maceration phase, results in an enormous release of anthocyanins, tannins, and coloring substances. The Lacrima grape variety, in a quantity not less than 85%, is vinified with or without the addition of grapes produced from other non-aromatic black-skinned varieties, suitable for cultivation in the Marche region, up to a maximum of 15% of the total. Maximum yield per hectare: 130 quintals for the base and passito (sweet) products; 100 quintals for the superiore (superior). Maximum grape-to-wine yield: 70% (for the base and superiore); 45% (for the passito). The Lacrima grape is extremely versatile: it adapts well to classic vinification for the production of regular table wines, it is excellent for carbonic maceration to obtain a Novello (new wine) with above-average fragrances, and it is wonderful for passito (sweet wine) vinification.