Lambrusco
Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna in Italy, and yes, a sparkling wine can be red too. The label tells you whether the bottle is dry, secco, or on the sweeter side, amabile or dolce.
Wine by type
Lambrusco sits exactly between the red wine section and sparkling wines. Here is more about its neighbors.
Red wine
The grapes from Merlot to Malbec, what oak aging does and at what temperature to serve it.
About red wine →Prosecco
The white Italian sparkling wine that, like Lambrusco, undergoes its second fermentation in a tank.
About Prosecco →
Moscato
Sweet wine made from the Muscat grape with low alcohol, for those who enjoy the amabile side of Lambrusco.
About Moscato →
Valpolicella
The Italian red regional wine without bubbles, made from corvina, rondinella and molinara.
About Valpolicella →A sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna
Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling red wine, making it one of the few sparkling wines that is neither white nor rosé in the glass. The wine comes from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, especially the areas around Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma. It is made from the blue-skinned Lambrusco grape, which comes in several varieties: Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Grasparossa and Lambrusco Salamino are the names you will most often find on a label. White and rosé versions also exist, but red is the main style, and that is where the confusion begins: when people think of sparkling wine, they rarely think of cherries, violets and tannins.
The bubbles develop during a second fermentation in a sealed tank, the Charmat method. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol, and the carbon dioxide released in the process remains in the wine because the tank is sealed. This applies to all sparkling Lambrusco; there is no second fermentation in the bottle, as with champagne. The amount of sugar left at the end determines the style: secco is dry, while amabile and dolce are sweeter. Lambrusco became popular worldwide in the 1970s and 1980s, especially in the United States, but its image suffered because of cheap, sweet mass-produced wines. It has since experienced a revival, with an emphasis on quality wines.
In brief
Four bottles, from dry to sweet
There is not that much choice, and that is not a bad thing: these four cover the entire range. They are listed in order, from the dry bottle that can stand in for red wine to the lightly sweet bianco.
Vecchia Modena Nero
A red, lightly sparkling wine with the flavor of plenty of berries and cherry juice, a pleasant bite and refined bubbles. Dry, making it suitable as an alternative to regular red wine.
Cleto Chiarli
Made from one hundred percent Lambrusco di Sorbara, refreshing and fruity with notes of blackberries and raspberries. The soft bubbles and pleasant tannins make it soft and fruity rather than full-bodied.
Dell'Emilia Amabile Rosso
Lightly sweet, fresh and lightly sparkling, and at 7.5 percent alcohol also noticeably lighter than the two bottles above. This is the soft, fruity side of Lambrusco.
Dell'Emilia Amabile Bianco
The white version of the same wine: lightly sweet with soft bubbles. Round and lightly sweet in flavor, making it the exception in this selection.
Lambrusco comes in all three colors, but red is the main style. Of the four bottles here, one is white and the rest are red.
Red fruit, fresh acidity and soft bubbles
Cherry, strawberry and violets
Cherry, strawberry and violets are the classic notes, while a Sorbara also brings blackberries and raspberries. It is clearly the aroma of red fruit, only with bubbles underneath.
Fresh and lightly sparkling
Lively acidity, a juicy character and bubbles that remain soft rather than prickly. The tannins are there, but they remain modest, especially compared with a still red wine.
Juicy, sometimes with a touch of bitterness
The red fruit lasts the longest, with a slight bitterness at the end in some bottles. Those fresh acids are precisely what makes the wine work so well with fatty and salty food.
Flavor profile of a dry lambrusco. An amabile or dolce scores much higher on sweetness; the acidity and fruit also remain present there.
How to drink lambrusco
Lambrusco requires little preparation. The only choice that really matters is on the label: dry or sweet.
Choose secco or amabile first
Secco is the dry style, and you can serve it anywhere you would otherwise pour red wine. Amabile and dolce are sweeter and lighter, and work better as an aperitif or with something sweet. If nothing is stated on the label, look at the name of the bottle.
The four bottles →With Italian food
Parmesan and prosciutto di Parma come from the same region and are the classic pairing. Lambrusco also works well with antipasti, pizza, bolognese, and anything with tomato sauce: the fresh acidity cuts through the fat and salt.
More about the taste →Six glasses from one bottle
For wine, we use the rule of thumb of six glasses per bottle, which works well for a 75 cl bottle. Don't pour too generously, so the bubbles stay better preserved in the bottle for the second round.
The right glass →Cocktails similar to lambrusco
There are no classic cocktails with lambrusco; the wine is poured straight into the glass. These four come closest: two with still red wine and two with bubbles.
Sangria
Red wine with fruit, orange and ice, served in a large jug at the table.
Tinto de Verano
Red wine topped up with sparkling lemonade and plenty of ice.
Kir Royal
Crème de cassis in the bottom of the glass, topped up with sparkling wine.
Bellini
Peach purée in the glass, then slowly top up with prosecco.The right glass for lambrusco
There is no single glass recommendation for lambrusco, because the wine has two sides. If you want to bring out the red fruit, choose a wine glass with plenty of room; if you want to preserve the bubbles for as long as possible, a flute with a small opening works better. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about lambrusco
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