Lambrusco

Question 1

What’s Lambrusco?

Answer 1

1) Mainly red, tank fermented sparkling wine (Spumante / Frizzante), made from the family of Lambrusco varieties, in Emilia Romagna, Central Italy.

Question 2

1) Where are Lambrusco grapes grown in Emilia-Romagna?
2) Climate?
3) Soils & irrigation?
4) Hazzards, pests and how to combat them?
5) Training systems?
6) Grape varieties, DOC’s and yields in hL/ha?

Answer 2

1) Grapes are grown in the western part of Emilia-Romagna
2) Warm continental climate
3) Irrigation is permitted
4) Alluvial soils (clay & silt)
5) Hazzards: risk of rain at harvest, soil compaction (grass planted to combat it), fungal diseases (canopy management, preventative sprays, monitoring weather forecast)
6) Training system: cordon training (Sylvoz, GDC)
7) Lambrusco salamino: most widely planted; Lambrusco Salamino de Santa Croce DOC (min 85% of this variety)
8) Lambrusco Gasparosa: mostly planted on clay; Lambrusco Gasparosa di Castelvetro (min 85%)
9) Lambrusco di Sorbara: pale, lighter bodied wines, DOC with same name (min 60%)
10) Lambrusco di Modena: is DOC: made with Lambrusco varieties grown in Modena, very high yields (160hL/ha), inexpressive wines
11) all the yields are in excess of 120hL/ha

Question 3

Describe the winemaking techiniques used in Lambrusco, from harvesting to release, including styles (Dry & sweet) and bottle-fermented wines.

Answer 3

1) Short skin maceration (1-2 days); for fuller bodied, more structure wines: 3-4 days
2) 1st fermentaion at low temp (for red wines): 18-20oC
3) MLC blocked to preserve acid
4) Great majority is tank fermented
5) 2nd ferment at lower temps: 12-15oC;; 2 weeks for frizzante, 1 month for Spumante.
6) No lees maturation
7) No dosage for dryer styles
8) Stop ferment or blending with RCGM for sweeter styles
9) Large scale production permits the wine to be released quickly and at inexpensive prices.
10) Some bottle-fermented wines are made in the ancestral method and released undisgorged

Question 4

1) What’s the required ABV for frizzante, Spumante and sweeter styles?
2) What are the sweetness levels for Spumante & Frizzante wines?
3) Export x Domestic markets?
4) DOC x IGT production levels?
5) Challenges faced by the industry?

Answer 4

1) ABV required: 11% for frizzante, 10.5% for Spumante and 7% for sweeter styles.
2) Sweetness levels: Spumante (follows the general classification in EU); Frizzante: Secco, abbocatto, amabile
3) 1/3 sold domestically, 2/3 exported
4) DOC: 25% - 30% of production; the rest is IGT
5) Lambrusco is not a protected name; large quantities of poor quality wines exported in the past damaged its image.