Lambrusco Flashcards
Lambrusco
Lambrusco is a frothy, red wine that comes from the region of Emilia- Romagna. Is is also the name of a black grape variety, which has a number of clones, that is used to make these wines. These various clones, grown in a number of different delimited areas have created a range of styles of Lambrusco wine. However, what the wines have in common is a high acidity and fruitiness that makes them well suited to the rich foods of the region. Unfortunately, the pedigree of these wines has been weakened in many markets by the low alcohol red, rose and white products that are also called Lambrusco which have been sold and consumed in large volumes.
Location- Lambrusco
Lambrusco is made in three provinces within the Emilia- Romagna region. Students (WSET) are only expected to know the DOCs of the Modena Province, as outlined below.
Lambrusco di Modena DOC is the basic level Lambrusco from a wide area- There are three other more specific appellations:
- Lambrusco di Sorbana DOC
- Lambrusco di Salamino di Santa Croce DOC
- Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC
Climate- Lambrusco
Warm continental climate with hot summers and cold winters
Vineyard- Lambrusco
Alluvial soils on the flat Po Valley produce light wines. Clay- dominated hillside sites produce wines with greater structure.
Training and trellising is to local tradition.
Grapes must have a minimum potential alcohol of 9.5% abv.
Grape Varieties- Lambrusco
There are many clones of Lambrusco. The plural is Lambrushchi. The most important clones are:
- Lambrusco di Sorbana
- Lambrusco Salamino
- Lambrusco Grasparossa
Lambrusco di Sorbana
Lambrusco di Sorbana, min 60%
Lambrusco Salamino, max 40%
Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce
Lambrusco Slamino, min 90%
other local varieties, max 10%
Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
Lambrusco Grasparaosa, mn 85%
other local varieties, max 15%
Lambrusco di Modena
all Lambruschi, max 85%
other local varieties, max 15%
Winery- Lambrusco
Both tank fermentation and bottle fermentation are allowed. The vast majority is fermented in tank.
- Maximum juice yield 70L/ 100 kg
- Cool primary fermentation relative to stirred wines to retain fresh fruity aromas and release a small amount of tannin
- Rectified concentrated grape must (RCGM) may be added to produce a sweet style.
Important Labelling Terms- Lambrusco
All of these wines can come in any combination of:
- Spumante or Frizzante
- Rosso or rosato
- Seco, semi- seco, Amabile or Dulce (RCGM is used for sweetening)
Important Trade Structures- Lambrusco
This region is one of small growers and large co- operative producers.
Lambrusco
Central Italian varietal wine based on the eponymous red grape variety, or rather varieties, that was enormously popular with the mass market in the US and northern Europe in the 1980s. So successful was it that special white, pink, and ‘light’ versions were somewhat perversely created, the colour and alcohol often being deliberately removed. In spite of, or perhaps because of, this enormous commercial success, Lambrusco is the most scorned and least understood of all Italian wine styles. The many different vines called Lambrusco are grown principally in the three central provinces of emilia—Modena, Parma, and Reggio nell’Emilia—although significant plantings can be found across the River Po in the province of Mantova, and occasional plantings can be found as far afield as piemonte, trentino, and even basilicata. The wine varies considerably, and so do the vines. The 2010 Italian vine variety census distinguished between one Lambrusca and no fewer than ten different forms of Lambrusco of which the most planted were Lambrusco Salamino (a national total of 5,003 ha/12,357 acres), Lambrusco Grasparossa (2,726 ha/6,736 acres), Lambrusco Maestri(2,223 ha/5,493 acres), Lambrusco di Sorbara (1,606 ha/3,968 acres), and Lambrusco Marani (1,394 ha/3,444 acres). (See also enantio.) Others identified by the 2010 Italian vine census are, in declining order of area planted, from 240 ha down to 18 ha, Lambrusco Viadanese, Lambrusca di Alessandria, Lambrusco Oliva, Lambrusco Montericco, and Lambrusco Barghi. The total production of Lambrusco in 2013 was a staggering 165 million bottles, with less than 40 million produced under doc rules, the majority being labelled igt Emilia. Efforts to increase the quality of Lambrusco have led to a change in production rules so that for IGT Emilia, the second fermentation for Lambrusco must be within Emilia. While most Lambrusco found on export markets is medium sweet or sweet, the traditional wine is dry, and much favoured by Italians themselves, the pronounced acidity and fizziness being thought to help digest Emilia’s hearty cuisine. Most Lambrusco made today is a fairly anonymous, standardized product made in industrial quantities by co-operatives or large commercial wineries using the Charmat or bulk method (see sparkling winemaking) together with heavy filtration, stabilization, and, frequently, pasteurization. ‘Proper’, dry Lambrusco seemed in danger of disappearing at one stage, but an increasing number of artisan producers can be found in the various DOC zones, and even the large producers are starting to make dry styles. The distinctive qualities of the different vine varieties and different zones have tended to disappear with large volumes, inter-regional blending, and industrial techniques. However, five Lambrusco DOCs were created on the basis of distinct terroir and varietal differences. The first four are exclusive to the small province of Modena. DOC Modena encompasses the whole of Modena province, with some 9,000 ha/22,240 acres planted to any Lambrusco, and 5,000 ha/12,355 acres registered as DOC. The two largest producers, Chiarlo and Cavicchioli, produce 40 million bottles between them annually. DOC Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce is the northern-most DOC on an extensive plain of alluvial sediment, sand, and silt. The vines are high-yielding resulting in simple, violet-scented, fruity wines with medium tannins. Luciano Saetti’s exceptional single-vineyard Lambrusco proves that quality can be obtained here, if not without the sacrifice of lower yields. DOC Lambrusco di Sorbara on an alluvial plain, produces pale, rosé-like wines which tend to be dry and lively. Elegant wines come from potassium-rich sandy soils, while further on to the plain where clay soils dominate, the wines are heavier. Francesco Bellei makes a complex Lambrusco Rifermentazione Ancestrale (see méthode ancestrale). DOC Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro is the furthest south. This early budding, early ripening, and least vigorous Lambrusco is planted on undulating foothills around Castelvetro on sandy soils containing silt and marl. Considered the finest DOC of Lambrusco, its wines are rich in aroma, colour, extract, and tannin so that they may contain a little residual sugar in compensation.
DOC Lambrusco Mantovano is a tiny DOC in Lombardia producing dry red sparkling wines mainly for local consumption. Lambrusco is one of the suffices of the DOC reggiano in emilia-romagna, although Reggiano Lambrusco may include up to 60% of the deep-coloured ancellotta grape. Within this large area lies the superior Colli di Scandiano e Canossa, where Lambrusco Grasparossa is planted on hillsides only, and whose yields are a fraction of those allowed in DOC Reggiano.
What are the 4 quality labels of Lambrusco most people should be aware of?
Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Maestri, Lambrusco Grasparossa, and Lambrusco Salamino.
Lambrusco di Sorbara
This grape produces the lightest and most delicate and floral of the Lambrusco wines, often in a light, pink-rose hue. The best versions are in a dry and refreshing style but have delightfully sweet aromas of orange blossom, mandarin orange, cherries, violets, and watermelon. You’ll find these wines labeled primarily as Lambrusco di Sorbara and they pair extremely well with spicy Thai and Indian cuisine.
