Lambrusco

Lambrusco is a sparkling red from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy that can range from bone-dry to noticeably sweet. Expect juicy cherry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry with refreshing acidity and plenty of fizz. It's brilliant with pizza, lasagne, charcuterie, Parmesan, burgers and anything involving prosciutto or salami.

Taste:

Sparkling red wine? Stay with us.

Lambrusco can range from light and fruity to surprisingly rich and structured, depending on the grapes, producer and sweetness level. Cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and red plum are common flavours, sometimes joined by violet, herbs and a slightly earthy edge.

The important bit is checking how sweet your bottle is. Secco means dry, semisecco or amabile takes you into off-dry and sweeter territory, while dolce means sweet.

And if your only memory of Lambrusco is cheap, sugary red fizz, it might be time for a rematch. There are some seriously good dry versions out there.

Food Pairings:

Lambrusco's combination of bubbles, fruit and acidity makes it ridiculously good with rich, salty and cheesy food.

Pizza is prime territory. Try it with pepperoni, meat feast, sausage, prosciutto, mushroom or a classic Margherita.

It's equally at home with tomato-based pasta dishes such as lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, beef ragù, meatballs in tomato sauce or sausage pasta. The fizz and acidity help cut straight through all that meat, tomato and melted cheese.

For the full Italian experience, bring out an antipasti or charcuterie board with prosciutto, salami, mortadella, Parma ham, olives and Parmesan. Lambrusco is from the same part of Italy as many of these foods, and frankly, the locals knew what they were doing.

Dryer styles also work brilliantly with burgers, sausages, fried chicken and BBQ pork.

Got a sweeter Lambrusco? Try it with fruit desserts, berry cheesecake or dark chocolate instead.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy the sweeter, fruitier side of Lambrusco, Brachetto d'Acqui is a great next move for another sparkling Italian red.

Moscato d'Asti and Asti Spumante are worth trying if it's the sweetness and bubbles you love, although both are white rather than red.

Prefer your Lambrusco dry? Try Bardolino for another light, juicy Italian red, minus the bubbles.

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More About Lambrusco:

Lambrusco comes mainly from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, particularly around Modena and Reggio Emilia, with some production extending into neighbouring Lombardy.

Here's where things get interesting: Lambrusco isn't actually one single grape. It's a family of related varieties, including Lambrusco Salamino, Lambrusco Grasparossa and Lambrusco di Sorbara, each capable of producing noticeably different styles.

Most Lambrusco is frizzante, meaning gently sparkling, although fully sparkling versions exist too.

For years, Lambrusco's international reputation was dominated by cheap, sweet versions. The good stuff is far more interesting – and often dry, refreshing and dangerously well suited to a table covered in pizza and cured meat.

Consider the comeback officially underway.