2022 Casa Setaro, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio "Munazei"

For Italian wine lovers of a certain age, buying a wine called Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio—there are both red and white versions—is a nostalgia play. “Lacryma Christi” means “Christ’s Tears,” and refers to wines grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius—in soils which, according to legend, were fertilized by Jesus’ tears as he wept over the fall of Lucifer from heaven. Up until recently, many dismissed these fancifully named classics as novelties—historically significant, sure, but otherwise not especially interesting. But Massimo Setaro is among the new generation of producers on Campania’s Mount Vesuvius who know that they’re in a world-class terroir capable of producing world-class wines. This ’21 is a great catch-up on the state of affairs in an increasingly dynamic wine region: it’s pure, it’s evocative, it’s delicious, it’s organic…it’s got everything going for it. Most of Mount Vesuvius is a national park, and only a handful of entities have significant vineyard holdings there, so w