I’d love to say that I’ve always enjoyed drinking Lambrusco, but I’d be lying to you. Actually the cold hard facts are that for the longest time it sounded like the complete opposite of what I wanted to drink. Cheap, sparkling, sweet red wine - no thanks! But, I am here to tell you today that is NOT what Lambrusco is. Can it be sweet, yes. Can it be dry and the best thing you have ever put in your mouth, also yes. 

The late 1960’s was a great time for fashion (am I right or am I right?) and also the start of the great shift for Lambrusco. The classically dry/off dry frizzante red wines of Italy’s past were now overrun by sticky sweet bubbles that dominated the sugar loving American market well into the 90’s. During that period of time, major producers jumped on the Lambrusco bandwagon and started shipping these sweet renditions to the US, when wine culture was just starting to boom. And with every trend comes the inevitable…low quality, mass produced products with good marketing. Enter Riuniti’s campaign of  “Riuniti on ice. That’s Nice”. A familiar slogan that popularized cheap, fruity and sweet Lambrusco that has stuck in consumers minds long after the Lambrusco buzz died down. Fast forward to 2023 and the Lambrusco train is back at the station, and better than ever!  

Now that we got that rant out of the way, let’s discuss some basics so that you can make your own educated selection on what appeals to YOU. Lambrusco reigns from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, an area famed for its Parmesan cheese, Modena vinegar and prosciutto. Historic documents dating back to 160 B.C. have indicated that Lambrusco was a highly prized black grape that was even mentioned in the world’s oldest farming manual “Di Agri Cultura”. It has since evolved into over 60 known varietals (we’ll break it down a little later)! To make it confusing, “Lambrusco” not only refers to the grape, but to the style of wine as well, in which we see three mains production styles, often mentioned on the bottle itself :

Metado Ancestrale (aka Pet Nat): This is the oldest way sparkling wine is made! The wine  starts its fermentation process in a vat and is then moved to individual bottles while it is still fermenting and sealed under a crown cap, trapping the gas and in-turn creating mellow bubbles.

Charmat Method (aka Tank Method): The base wine undergoes fermentation and is then placed in a stainless steel tank to undergo a secondary fermentation. Sugar and yeast are added which causes the release of CO2, trapping the gas in the tank and in effect creating fizzy goodness that will then get bottled.

Méthode Traditionnelle (same method Champagne uses): The base wine is fermented and moved to individual bottles, where we see sugar and yeast added and crown capped. After a period of time the bottle is turned horizontally until the dead yeast (lees) are at the neck of the bottle, frozen and then disgorged.  Sugar levels are adjust and then the bottle is corked. This method is the most time consuming and showcases an end product with a little more finesse.

Ok, so now that we know how bubbles are made, lets discuss 4 different Lambrusco varietals. Sometimes you will see the specific grapes mentioned on the label, but if you don’t I highly suggest asking your local wine guide at you favorite store (ahem) to help you OR… I’m gonna say it… it’s 2023… use the internet, it has all the info you need. Without further ado:

Lambrusco di Sorba: The lightest in color and in flavor with delicate floral and berry notes. The  perfect toe dip into Lambrusco! Check out Cleto Chiarli Vecchi Modeno for a simply delicious and dry iteration.

Lambrusco di Salamino: Often used in sweeter renditions, this varietal is versatile and also a lighter, more berry driven style. BUT, because there is always somebody doing something atypical, check out Vigneto Saetti’s Rosso Viola for an incredibly dry and delicious version. So, use that new fangled internets to verify before you buy if you want to explore other options.

Lambrusco di Maestri: Think dark plum, black cherry, violet and (omg) chocolate. This bad boy is very fruity and deeply colored. You tend to see it used in blends and also in one of my personal favorite Lambruscos- La Collina Quaresimo… just YUM.

Lambrusco di Grasparossa: The boldest of the bunch that is deep in color and flavor with great tannic structure. Think blueberry skins, black cherries and blackcurrant. Check out Cleto Chiarli Pruno Nero NV for a mouthwatering dry and bubbly experience.

My Lambrusco journey started with simply giving it a chance - because it’s the right thing to do with all wine. And the crazy thing is that one could go on and on about what to expect out of any grape varietal or bottle of wine in general and at the end of the day it is up to YOU to decide if you like it or not. But, you will never know unless you try- so run, don’t walk to Spencer and Lynn and grab a bottle of Lambrusco, because life is too short to be drinking the same thing. 

– Jessica