Lambrusco: A brief history and modern resurgence

by Jess Helfand, DipWSET

What comes to mind when someone offers you a glass of Lambrusco? Are you expecting a deeply colored, slightly sweet glass of bubbles? If so, you’re not wrong… but there’s so much more to Lambrusco. 

Lambruschi (the plural of Lambrusco) are primarily made in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. The Apennine Mountains divide Emilia-Romagna from Tuscany and protect the region from winds like a gentle hug, creating optimal conditions for agriculture. Along with a rich gastronomic tradition (think Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Mortadella di Bologna, Prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar, and the list goes on), there is also a rich history of winemaking. 

Grape varieties in Lambrusco production

Lambrusco is thought to be one of Italy’s oldest family of grape varieties, a wild vine presumably domesticated by the Etruscans. “Labrusco” as the vines were historically called in the Po Valley, in fact, means bramble bush, like what a wild vine would look like climbing up a tree. Modern genetic testing has revealed at least 8 closely related members of the Lambrusco family, each with their own unique character. Do note, however, that Lambrusco is in no way related to the North American grapevine Vitis labrusca. 

The most commonly planted are Lambrusco Grasparossa, Lambrusco di Sorbara, and Lambrusco Salamino:

Grasparossa produces deeply pigmented wines with firm structure and black cherry fruit. Tannins range from soft and supple to robust and grippy. It is grown primarily in the hills around Modena and is the primary grape in the eponymous Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC. 

Sorbara is the lightest Lambrusco grape, with its pale pink-red hue and delicate violet and pomegranate notes. Sorbara typically ripens unevenly, leaving about 25% of the grapes on a bunch green and underripe and a marked level of acidity. In fact, Sorbara wines can have pH levels as low as 2.5, which is more acidic than many Champagnes!

Salamino, named as its short cylindrical bunches resemble a salami, falls somewhere between Grasparossa and Sorbara in terms of acid and tannin. It is the most widely planted of the Lambrusco grapes, known for reliable yields and its ability to withstand disease pressure. Expect deep purple color with black fruit flavors and a fleshy texture. It is often vinified with a bit of residual sugar for balance, in semi-secco (off-dry to sweet) to dolce (very sweet) styles.

Fun fact: nearly all vines cultivated for winemaking are self pollinating. An exception is Lambrusco di Sorbara. While Sorbara flowers contain male (pollen) and female reproductive parts, it does not pollinate like a typical hermaphroditic vine. What does this mean for how these vines are grown? You will find rows of other Lambrusco varieties, typically Salamino, interspersed in the vineyards to ensure proper pollination. 

It’s not only the diversity of the Lambrusco family of grapes that account for stylistic differences in Lambruschi, but also the wide range of production methods used. Bubbly wines of Emilia-Romagna date back to the 16th century, if not before. Historically wines were made with Metodo Ancestrale (Ancestral Method) or with Rifermentato. While these techniques are quite similar, both resulting in a dry to off-dry frizzante (lightly sparkling) wine, there are slight differences. In the Metodo Ancestrale, after a partial fermentation, the wine is bottled and sealed where the fermentation resumes. Rifermentato involves fermenting the wine to dryness and then bottling along with a small amount of grape must to kick off another fermentation. Adding 10 g/L sugar gives the wine about 2.5 atmospheres of pressure and a final alcohol of around 11.5%. Ancestrale wines may or may not be disgorged while Rifermentato is not. Both techniques produce wines with gentle perlage, well suited to delicate grapes like Lambrusco di Sorbara. 

Lambrusco production in the modern era

Fast forward to the Lambrusco boom of the 1970s and 1980s. Wide adoption of the Charmat Method (tank method) allows production to ramp up to meet new international demand. Tastes have also changed, with an appetite for sweeter styles of wine.The market is dominated by cheap and cheerful Lambruschi, many semi-secco or amabile and dolce. It was not uncommon for a dolce Lambrusco to have 200-300 g/L residual sugar! Popularity soared and in the early ‘80s the top 3 brands imported to the United States were for Lambruschi. After decades, Lambrusco became synonymous with sweet, uninteresting wine made en masse.

Fast forward again to the 1990s and producers began to try to re-write the story of modern Lambrusco. In 1993 Medici Ermete released their award winning “Lambrusco Concerto,” a dry, single vineyard expression of Salamino, marking a shift in production back towards artisanal production. Prior to fermentation the grapes undergo cryomaceration for 5 to 6 days at 8C to extract color and flavor, but not too much tannin. Concerto is then made in tank, but with a single long fermentation, rather than the typical two fermentations of the Charmat Method. The result is a fresh, fruit driven, gently sparkling wine. A small, almost imperceptible amount of sugar is left to balance the wine’s natural acidity and tannin. This iconic wine is still made 30 years later. 

While sweet and easy Lambruschi still dominate the market, we have seen a resurgence of Metodo Ancestrale and Rifermentato production. Metodo Classico (Traditional Method) is also being embraced by a number of wineries. Conventional wisdom tells us that Lambruschi are meant for early drinking, but the naturally high acidity of Lambrusco grapes does allow for extended ageing potential. A well-made Metodo Classico Lambrusco can spend upwards of 10 years on the lees and retain its freshness – imagine a generous mousse, lively acidity, and a subtle tannic grip with flavors of lightly dried plum and resinous herbs. In addition to volume and drinkability, producers are increasingly seeking balance and finesse. 

Admittedly, Lambrusco is not, and will never be, the most complex wine available – but there is elegance in its simplicity. It’s also critical to understand Lambrusco as a wine of gastronomy: the acidity and structure pair beautifully with the rich, savory dishes of Emilia-Romagna, complementing the sapidity of the wine. Further, the salt in the cuisine helps to soften tannin and enhance the wine’s fruit character. All this is to say, the next time someone offers you a glass of Lambrusco, especially to accompany a bowl of Tagliatelle Bolognese, just say sì, per favore!