Lambrusco

Imagine aromas of ripe black plum, raspberry, sweet mint and river cobble; on the palate, arrives dry and refreshing dark cherry and a tiny bit of sparkling effervescence. That’s what a traditional, dry Lambrusco offers. But the mass-market Labrusco wine demand of Europe and the USA turned the name Lambrusco into an anonymous, sweet, strawberry-tinged, quaffable juice. Enjoy the fun, sweet stuff if that’s what you like. There are, however, actually no less than ten distinct forms of the grape and a handful of exclusive DOCs created specifically for the unique character of some of the best of them. Today artisan producers are emerging to bring the dry, aromatic style back and some large producers are responding by making dry styles too.

Tasting Notes for Lambrusco

Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine that can be either dry or sweet and is rich in aroma, color and concentration. Colors range from deep purple to bright pink to gold. Black fruit, sweet herbs, violets and crushed rock tend to characterize the darker versions while flavors of honey, apple, pear and vanilla arise from the lighter ones.

Lambrusco Food Pairings

A pizza and a hot day! Coming from Modena, it pairs with these types of local foods: cured meats, parmigiano reggiano and lasagna. Sweeter versions pair well with dessert.

Sommelier Secrets for Lambrusco

Serve a Lambrusco wine quite chilled to make the most of its fresh, thirst-quenching qualities. Lambrusco Grasparossa, Lambrusco Salamino and Lambrusco di Sorbara tend to produce some of the best quality wines.