Lambrusco, Please

Lambrusco is a wine I particularly love in the springtime and early summer, but one I can’t help but embrace anytime my wife brings a bottle home with her from a shopping trip. I like mine dry and lightly sparkling. 

The 20255 Bruno Zanasi Tradizione comes from Castelvetro di Modena, an old, walled village in the Emilia-Romagna region, where wine is made. The Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro grapes are from two estate vineyards, La Collina and Il Secolare, the soils of which Zanasi credits with his wine’s aroma and flavor. Alcohol content tips only 12% abv and the retail price is $22. 

This wine pours up frizzante, with a dark, grapey color. The nose features aromas of plum, blueberry, and cassis, with a high note of citrus which makes it so much fresher. Dark fruit flavors define the palate. There is a gentle acidity and a light set of tannins. The finish is medium-long and that citrus note tags along almost unnoticed. It’s a great wine for sipping, but you can feel free to pair it with your Italian dinner dishes. 

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