Terroir is a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in the world of low intervention wine. There is...
Oh, Lambrusco we need to have chat, a one to one about how everyone sees you. About how everyone remembers you from their youth as that wine that everyone took to their parties and which cost around £3 a bottle and got everyone drunk quick. And sadly that sort of a reputation is kind of hard to shake off.
But before we segue into the Passione Vino world of Lambrusco few words should probably be said on what exactly falls under the Lambrusco umbrella and quite how it got such a damning reputation… Starting with the basics, Lambrusco is a sparkling wine made from the family of Lambrusco grapes that are generally found in Emilia Romagna. It has ancient origins – reputedly two millennia – and so there are unsurprisingly number of different varieties of greatly contrasting characteristics originating from different areas of Emilia Romagna. Some of the best respected are Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrsuco di Grasparossa, Lambrusco Maestri, Lambrsuco Salamino and Lambrusco di Sobrara, our favourite, but we will get back to that. To add further confusion to the fire: these designations do not exclusively correspond to the varietal of Lambrusco used but to the regions of production. So, in the case of Lambrusco di Sorbara both Sorbara and Salamino can be used to produce a DOC wine.
Lambrusco grapes are all fruit forward, crunchy grapes that are best drunk young. No small wonder then that it was considered ideal to add a little spritz to these reds in order to lift them significantly and in turn set them apart from the rest of the Italian red wine market. How? There are two ways: either Charmat or Metodo Champagnoise. Charmat, known in Italy as metodo martinotti, is the most commonly used and sees the wines undergo secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Metodo Champagnoise does exactly what is says on the tin: secondary fermentation in the bottle.
Like every trend, the allure of inky red sparkling wines went off the boil rather quickly. Suddenly Lambrusco when from being the wine du jour to the drink only poor students necked. Why? Because the types of Lambrusco that reached the mass export market were those made in a slightly sweet style. Uffa. Thankfully, somewhere along the line producers in the region recognised that action had to be taken to save their vineyards that had been in their families for generations from such a fate; to not leave their hard worked bottles of Lambrusco to languish on the bottom shelves of Tesco’s wine aisle.
If change can only happen from the top down then it is fitting that the Lambrusco revolution started in the region widely reputed to produce the best Lambrusco: Sobrara. Sobrara is a small village just north of Modena that has come to be known for both its quality and also the quantity of DOC wines made per year. The key factor that distinguishes the Lambrusco di Sobrara grapes from the rest of the Lambrsuchi (for want of a better word) in Emilia Romagna is actually an unfortunate anomaly. Because the vines for some reason prematurely drop their flowers the yields come harvest are significantly lower. Yet as a consequence of the reduced ‘performance pressure’ on the vines the grapes have more concentrated flavour. The DOC appellation when awarded in 1970 did recognise however that the lower yields necessitated a more fluid approach to certification and therefore accredit wines produced from between 60 to 100% Lambrusco di Sobrara blended with a maximum of 40% of Lambrusco Salamino. This latter grape variety is often planted alongside the Lambrusco di Sobrara vines and yes, the name comes from similarities between the grape bunches and salami.
The logical mind would assume that this more concentrated character would result in darker, richer wines. But yet with those producers working in a method that prioritises low intervention the opposite has been the case. Instead, producers such as Paltrinieri and Ca’ de Noci have decided instead to follow a direction that takes Lambrusco away from its cliches so as to give the wine another reputation.
Perhaps the best example of this is the Radice by Paltrinieri. A 100% Lambrusco di Sobrara, this is perhaps the best known wine that Achille Paltrinieri created since dedicating his career to taking over the family vineyards. And, perhaps fittingly, it looks and tastes nothing like you would expect of a Lambrusco. Salmon pink in hue, it is closer to a ‘prosecco rosato (not that that is actually a thing)’. This could in part be because it is the only wine produced by Paltrinieri to be made in the metodo champagnoise method with the lees left in the bottle. The result is a wine that brings to mind a Col Fondo but with more character thanks to the intensity of the grapes used. The same can also be said of the Sottobosco by Ca’ de Noci. This time it is not produced in Sobrara closer to Reggio Emilia. Planting on an old walnut farm, the mission was to re-establish indigenous and increasingly rare vines including Lambrusco di Montericco, Lambrsuco di Grasparossa, Sgavetta and Malbo Gentile. Like the Radice it is made via the metodo champagnoise but the 10 day maceration just gives it the edge.
To further make the case that not all Lambrusco is created equal, the range that can be drawn from Lambrusco di Sobrara is reflected in the rest of the wines that Paltrinieri produces. Take the Leclissse. Another within that same baby pink colour wheel, this one again packs more than its colour scheme might suggest. Unlike the Radice, it is made from by the Charmat method resulting in a finer and more persistent perlage. Or the next degree of separation that is La Riserva that is 100% Lambrusco di Sobrara but thanks to its 12 month Charmat method creates a delicate, baby pink Lambrusco with the notes of grapefruit.
That doesn’t mean that deep red Lambrusco can’t be made in Sobrara. Quite the opposite. Instead, it is all about the methods and the grapes used. The Solco is a red wine with just a hint of effervescence added to the Salamino grapes that harks back to the ‘old style Lambrusco’ that was beloved until the tide turned. Perhaps the slightly Fascist artwork on the label reflects this mission to stand up for a change in the old regime?
So yes, we have decided that it is high time that people get over their Lambrusco scepticism. If you remember the trend of those terrible supermarket wines the first time around, then forget about that version and start a clean page. And if you don’t have a clue what we’re talking about with our jibes on the Lambrusco cliché then now is a good time to get ahead of the new wave and be the coolest kid at the party rocking up with a couple of bottles of Lambrusco under your arm.