My philosophy has always been that everything is better that sparkles: wine, water, diamonds and personalities. And, while I happily drink sparkling wines all year round regardless of the occasion, I am especially fixated on fizz for New Year’s Eve.
This year, I had the pleasure of tasting through an assortment of Italian sparklers from wine importer Winebow ranging from Prosecco to Franciacorta. But, it was the duo of Lambrusco wines –a rosé and a vintage-dated rosso — that commanded my attention. These two wines were produced by Lini 910, a family-owned and operated winery, which was founded in 1910 and is presently run by Fabio Lini, a member of the fourth generation.
Hailing from Central Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, Lambrusco has been made as early as the middle of the 10th century. While there are stylistic differences among the various DOCs, in general, Lambrusco is produced via the Charmat Method and the resulting wines typically display high acidity, at least some effervescence, low alcohol and fruity and floral aromas. In addition, some producers do make Traditional Method wines, which are more similar to Champagne in their production.
Overall, these wonderful wines are extremely food friendly (which makes a lot of sense given that they come from a very gastronomic-focused area – the land of Parmigiana-Reggiano, Parma ham and Balsamic vinegar. Moreover, they pair equally well with cheeses and charcuterie as well as with heartier fare.
With their festive bubbles and bold red hues, they easily transform any day into a celebration, making them an excellent alternative to Champagne and other sparklers especially as we countdown to the new decade!
TASTING NOTES
Lini 910, Lambrusco Rosé NV, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, $25.00
Typical of the region, this wine is produced by the Charmat Method, the same method used in the production of Prosecco. This process retains the fresh fruit flavors of the grapes, which are present on the nose and palate of this lovely wine. Floral, fresh herbs and ripe cherries greet the nose and persist on the palate, with medium+ body, freshness and long length.
Lini 910, Lambrusco Metodo Classico Rosso Millesimato 2006, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, $40.00
As a Metodo Classico wine, this Lambrusco was crafted using the Traditional Method, the same production technique used in Champagne, whereby the wine spends a significant amount of time in contact with the spent yeast (aka lees). Given its more complex production, this wine offered up beautiful notes of yeast, cherries and berries. The rich blackberry flavors were balanced with lively acidity and very long length.
