Lambrusco is a term for a group of grape varieties. There are around 60 varieties that have been identified and the most common use of Lambrusco is to produce a frizzante (not all the way sparkling, between 1 – 2.5 atmospheres of pressure) red wine. It is a light, fruity wine with low alcohol content that can be enjoyed with a very wide variety of dishes. It comes both as a sweet and as a dry wine although the quality of the latter wines tends to be better these days and at a very good price.

Like Prosecco, Lambrusco is usually made using the Charmat method meaning that the second fermentation takes place in a pressurized tank and not in the bottle (the latter is how Champagne is made). This is why the bubbles in Lambrusco will not be as fine as they are in Champagne or Cava for example.

Because of its popularity, Lambrusco has often been mass produced leading to fluctuating levels of quality. Today however you can find pretty good Lambrusco at a very good price if you know where to look. Below are a few suggestions.

Lambrusco to try

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