Sparkling wines/ Italy : Lambrusco

Question 1

Define Lambrusco

Answer 1

1. A mainly red,
2. mainly tank-fermented
3. Sparkling (spumante) or semi-sparkling (frizzante) wine
4. Made from Lambrusco varieties
5. mainly in Emilia-Romagna in Central Italy

Question 2

Describe the flavour profile and style of Lambrusco

Answer 2

1. Red wines have strawberry fruit
2. Medium to medium + tannins
3. High acidity
4. Usually some residual sugar
5. Colour pale pink to deep ruby
6. Quality: acceptable to good, some v good
7. Price: inexpensive to medium

Question 3

The climate, growing environment, soil and viticulture of Lambrusco

Answer 3

1. West part of Emilia-Romagna, low hills (150m)
2. Warm continental, adequate rain (735mm pa). Irrigation used at key times
3. Alluvial soils, clay and silt. Fertile. Good water retention. Prone to compaction: grass between rows, also allows mechanisation.
4. Fertile soil and high vigour grapes = high yields
5. Cordon trained (eg Sylvoz) or Geneva Double Curtain (full mechanisation)

Question 4

Hazards, pests and diseases in Lambrusco

Answer 4

1. Rain at harvest (monitor weather)
2. Fungus due to humidity on river plain.
   
   • regular spray,
   • or reduce need by sustainable viticulture (monitoring weather to anitcipate/ prevent, canopy management)
3. Grapevine yellows (bacterial, no cure, so rapid removal of affected vines and control vectors eg leafhoppers).

Question 5

Most important grape varieties of Lambrusco

Answer 5

1. Lambrusco Salamino
   
   1. Most planted. Fragrant, deep colour, full body, high acid, us blended with other Lambrusco varieties
2. Lambrusco Grasparossa
   
   1. Best on clay/silt. Mainly on hillsides (unlike others)
   2. Deep colour, full body, med (+) tannins,.
3. Lambrusco di Sorbara
   
   1. Pale, lighter body, high acid.

Question 6

The main DOCs of Lambrusco

Answer 6

1. Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC
   
   1. min 85% L. Salamino. max yield 133 hL/ha
2. Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC
   
   1. ​​min 85% L. Grasparossa, max yield 126 hL/ha
3. Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC
   
   1. min 60%, max yield 126 hL/ha
4. Lambrusco di Modena DOC _{^{Blend of lambrusco varieties grown in Modena.}} Max v high 161 hL/ha. Low concentration/ inexpensive.
5. Reggiano Lambrusco DOC _{^{L. varieties in delimited area of Reggio-Emilia}}
   
   1. max yield 126 hL/ha

Question 7

How is Lambrusco made in the winery?

Answer 7

1. Product process allows quick, high vol wine
2. Typically 1-2 days maceration ^{(Lambruscos high anthocyanins, minimise tannin extraction)}
3. 3-4 days Gasparossa more structured, full body
4. Tank. 1st fermentation low 18-20C ^{preserve primary fruit}
5. Unusually for red, malo blocked ^{to preserve high acidity}
6. 2nd ferment low 12-15C ^{2 weeks frizzante, 4 wks spumante}
7. No additional lees ^{to preserve primary fruit}
8. No dosage dryer styles (zero to Brut)
9. Sweet wines stop ferment or add must/ RCGM
10. Also made: some bottle-ferment and some trad undisgorged ancestral method

Question 8

Wine laws governing Lambrusco

• alcohol levels

Answer 8

1. DOCs
   
   1. spumante minimum 11% abv
   2. frizzante min 10.5% abv
2. Sweet (amabile or dolce) min 7% if res sugar gives required level of sweetness towards alcohol level

Question 9

Wine laws governing Lambrusco

• labelling terms & sweetness levels

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

Describe Lambrusco’s wine business

Answer 10

1. Av size property small ^{<span>< </span>3 ha (doubled since 2000, as growers leave) Most growers vinify fruit in co-ops/ larger private wineries)}
2. 1/3 sold in Italy ^{(supermarket, hospitality)} 2/3 export (2016)
3. Sparkling: DOC 25-30%, rest IGT
4. Past poor quality/high vol lambrusco “cheap, red, frothy, sweet”. Lambrusco not protected name (unlike prosecco)
5. But some good quality now made eg Cleto Chiarli.
6. Revival on the way?

Question 11

Give a case study in consolidation in Italy’s sparkling wine business

Answer 11

• 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.