Ch.11 – Lambrusco Flashcards
1
Q
Define Lambrusco
A
- A mainly red,
- mainly tank-fermented
- Sparkling (spumante) or semi-sparkling (frizzante) wine
- Made from Lambrusco varieties
- mainly in Emilia-Romagna in Central Italy
2
Q
Describe the flavour profile and style of Lambrusco
A
- Red wines have strawberry fruit
- Medium to medium + tannins
- High acidity
- Usually some residual sugar
- Colour pale pink to deep ruby
- Quality: acceptable to good, some v good
- Price: inexpensive to medium
3
Q
The climate, growing environment, soil and viticulture of Lambrusco
A
- West part of Emilia-Romagna, low hills (150m)
- Warm continental, adequate rain (735mm pa). Irrigation used at key times
- Alluvial soils, clay and silt. Fertile. Good water retention. Prone to compaction: grass between rows, also allows mechanisation.
- Fertile soil and high vigour grapes = high yields
- Cordon trained (eg Sylvoz) or Geneva Double Curtain (full mechanisation)
4
Q
Hazards, pests and diseases in Lambrusco
A
- Rain at harvest (monitor weather)
- Fungus due to humidity on river plain.
- regular spray,
- or reduce need by sustainable viticulture (monitoring weather to anitcipate/ prevent, canopy management)
- Grapevine yellows (bacterial, no cure, so rapid removal of affected vines and control vectors eg leafhoppers).
5
Q
Most important grape varieties of Lambrusco
A
-
Lambrusco Salamino
- Most planted. Fragrant, deep colour, full body, high acid, us blended with other Lambrusco varieties
-
Lambrusco Grasparossa
- Best on clay/silt. Mainly on hillsides (unlike others)
- Deep colour, full body, med (+) tannins,.
-
Lambrusco di Sorbara
- Pale, lighter body, high acid.
6
Q
The main DOCs of Lambrusco
A
-
Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC
- min 85% L. Salamino. max yield 133 hL/ha
-
Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC
- min 85% L. Grasparossa, max yield 126 hL/ha
-
Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC
- min 60%, max yield 126 hL/ha
- Lambrusco di Modena DOC Blend of lambrusco varieties grown in Modena. Max v high 161 hL/ha. Low concentration/ inexpensive.
-
Reggiano Lambrusco DOC L. varieties in delimited area of Reggio-Emilia
- max yield 126 hL/ha
7
Q
How is Lambrusco made in the winery?
A
- Product process allows quick, high vol wine
- Typically 1-2 days maceration (Lambruscos high anthocyanins, minimise tannin extraction)
- 3-4 days Gasparossa more structured, full body
- Tank. 1st fermentation low 18-20C preserve primary fruit
- Unusually for red, malo blocked to preserve high acidity
- 2nd ferment low 12-15C 2 weeks frizzante, 4 wks spumante
- No additional lees to preserve primary fruit
- No dosage dryer styles (zero to Brut)
- Sweet wines stop ferment or add must/ RCGM
- Also made: some bottle-ferment and some trad undisgorged ancestral method
8
Q
Wine laws governing Lambrusco
- alcohol levels
A
- DOCs
- spumante minimum 11% abv
- frizzante min 10.5% abv
- Sweet (amabile or dolce) min 7% if res sugar gives required level of sweetness towards alcohol level
9
Q
Wine laws governing Lambrusco
- labelling terms & sweetness levels
A
- Standard sparkling incl Lambrusco spumante
- dossagio zero 0-3g/L
- extra brut 0-6g/L
- brut 0-12 g/L
- extra dry 12-17 g/L
- sec, secco, asciutti 17-32 g/L
- demi-sec/abboccato 32-50 g/L
- dolce > 50g/L
-
Lambrusco frizzante (fewer categories/ broader bands)
- secco/asciutti
- abboccato
- amabile
10
Q
Describe Lambrusco’s wine business
A
- Av size property small <span>3 ha (doubled since 2000, as growers leave) Most growers vinify fruit in co-ops/ larger private wineries) </span>
- 1/3 sold in Italy (supermarket, hospitality) 2/3 export (2016)
- Sparkling: DOC 25-30%, rest IGT
- Past poor quality/high vol lambrusco “cheap, red, frothy, sweet”. Lambrusco not protected name (unlike prosecco)
- But some good quality now made eg Cleto Chiarli.
- Revival on the way?
11
Q
Give a case study in consolidation in Italy’s sparkling wine business
A
- Cantine Riunite & CIV
- Italy’s largest wine co (turnover val 2016).
- specialises in Lambrusco and Prosecco.
- Cantine Riunite created 1950 - merger of nine local wine co-ops in the province of Reggio Emilia. Then joined by the CIV co-ops in the province of Modena.
- Now 1,800 members.
- 2002 bought Prosecco producer Cantine Maschio and in 2008 large co-op Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV)
- Now a portfolio: Lambrusco, flavoured wine-based drinks, Prosecco and via GIV, wines from across Italy.
- Sells half in Italy (via retailers) half exported. Historically, success with Lambrusco Amabile in the USA.
- Top export markets UK, USA, Mexico, Germany and France. Turnover up 30 per cent (2010/11–2015/16) due to sparkling wine.