Lambrusco - The Sparkling Red Wine of Italy

Lambrusco is both a brightly colored grape variety and a sparkling red wine produced in Italy.

In the past, Lambrusco has been known as a cheap, bright and fizzy wine often served with ice cubes (remember the old ‘Riunite on ice’ commercials?) But, today there are top Lambruscos that barely resemble those sweet versions that flooded U.S. shelves in the 1970s and 1980s.

Lambrusco comes from Emilia-Romagna which is a large region that cuts across north-central Italy. Major production areas include Modena, Reggiano and Parma.

Historically, Lambrusco wines were widely produced in the methode traditionelle, a process requiring more care and attention because the second fermentation, that creates the bubbles, was done in the bottle. But, today, most Lambrusco wines are produced using the Charmant (or tank) method where it goes through its secondary fermentation in large steel tanks and is then bottled.

While Lambrusco is a grape variety, there is actually an extended family of varieties of grapes that can be used to produce Lambrusco that are all grouped under the “Lambrusco” category.

The styles of Lambrusco can still vary widely. They can be produced as either frizzante (gentle bubbles), or spumante (forceful bubbles) and be labeled Secco (dry), Amabile (slightly sweet) or Dolce (sweet).

Today, the best Lambruscos are dry (not sweet), have delicate aromas of violet and crisp red-berry flavors. They’re silky smooth sparkling wines that offer bright acidity. Most are also extremely well priced. So, give this Italian sparkling red wine a try. It pairs well with a lot of big, bold Italian hearty cuisines. Cheers!

The Various Tiers of Italian Wines

Italian wines, like French and Spanish wines, have certain restrictions and laws regarding their production. These Italian regulations result in their wines being classified into four official tiers.

While you’ll find the producer’s name, appellation, vintage and alcoholic content on the label of an Italian wine, you’re also likely to find its official classification there too. These classifications are a guide to their quality.

In the 1960s, Italy began its wine classifications with heavy influence from the appellation system used by their northern wine neighbors in France.

Italy began with the DOC and DOCG categories and then created the IGT category in the early 1990s.

Italy’s four official tiers of wine classifications are as follows:

• DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) — This is the highest classification for Italian wines. There are more than 7 DOCG wines in Italy, most of them from the regions of Piemonte, Tuscany, and Veneto. The controls (controllata) for these wines include the methods used in wine production and provides a guarantee (garantita) of the wine’s quality. The strict rules imposed on a DOCG wine include the allowable grape varieties, limits its production (yield), defines the necessary grape ripeness for harvest, specifies the winemaking procedures and finally, defines aging requirements on barrels and bottle before a wine is released to the market. These wines are also subject to official tasting procedures. As an added guarantee, and to prevent counterfeiting, you’ll find that these bottles have a numbered government paper seal on the neck.

• DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) — This is the primary tier of Italian wines and covers nearly all traditional Italian wine style. There are more than 300 DOC titles in Italy, each having its own unique set of laws governing their wines. These laws include the viticultural zone, the grape varieties and the wine’s style. These wine also have an official paper seal on the neck of the bottle.

• IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) — This classification was introduced in 1992 allowing certain freedoms to Italian winemakers. This classification focuses on the region of origin, much like the AVA system in the U.S., rather than grape varieties or wine styles. It has significantly helped Italian wine makes who produced wine from grape varieties, or blends of grapes, not allowed under the DOCG and DOC classifications.

• VDT (Vino da Tavola) — This is the most basic category of Italian wines. Meaning 'table wine' this category is the lowest tier. Table wines can be made from grapes grown anywhere in Italy and are rarely of high enough quality to be exported.

Within each of the tiers you may also see the words “Classico,” “Superiore” and “Riserva” which also have regulated meanings:

• Classico: These wines are made in the original historic center of a wine-producing region. Examples include Chianti Classico and Valpolicella Classico.

• Superiore: These wines wines are of higher quality often because of higher alcohol (typically at least 0.5% higher) than the minimum required and/or it has been aged longer than required.

• Riserva: These are aged longer than typical. Generally, for at least two years.

Behind the Cork™ - Ca' di Prata Prosecco

Ca’ di Prata Prosecco

Ca’ di Prata Prosecco sparkling wines are produced with a strong committed to quality. By carefully managing their raw materials, their winemaking processes and through special attention to detail, they are able to share these quality products, exclusively made in Italy, with the entire world.

Prata is a community in the Province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 100 kilometers northwest of Trieste. The Ca’ di Prata Prosecco Brut and Rosé wines are from the village of Prata, famous for the historic tower where people come together to enjoy a glass of Prosecco with family and friends. The Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore comes from Valdobbiadene, the most famous Prosecco region located near the village Prata di Pordenone.

Glera, the primary grape used in the production of Prosecco, is a green-skinned grape variety that has been grown for hundreds of years in the Veneto and Friuli regions of Italy and too is the basis for these three wonderful Prosecco sparkling wines.

The Ca’ di Prata DOC Brut ($15.99) is made from 85% Glera and 15% ‘other varieties.’ According to the winery, the ‘other varieties’ include Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay that gives this Brut “…a complex savory and mineral note which makes it more full-bodied.” This Brut Prosecco is bright and fresh with good acidity and the traditional green apple flavor associated with the Glera grape.

The Ca’ di Prata Extra Dry Prosecco Rosé ($16.99) is produced from 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir. It is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its crisp flavors. At the end of fermentation, it is cooled to 0° C and left to rest for a month before being bottled. It is wonderfully light and refreshing with crisp flavors and refreshing acidity.

The Ca’ di Prata Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry ($17.99) is so named for the grapes that come from vineyards in the province of Treviso in the historical area of the DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene. It is also produced from 85% Glera and 15% ‘other varieties.’ It has a golden-straw color with green hints. This too has flavors of golden apple along with a citrus hint and pleasant acidity.

All three of these Prosecco wines are delightful and great values. Look for them! Cheers!

Note: Ca’ di Prata wines are imported by Mack & Schuhle Inc and are distributed nationally.

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Donna White Communications

The Four Styles of Valpolicella Wine

Valpolicella (val-polla-chellah) is an Italian wine region that covers 95 square miles across the western part of the Veneto region.

There are four primary styles of Valpolicella. In the order from least to most intensity they are: Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella. These wines are all made with the same grapes (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara) but the wine-making techniques is what differentiates them.

So, here’s a brief overview of each style.

Valpolicella - This wine is fresh and fruity and the lightest style. It typically has bright aromas and sour cherry flavor that is so typical of many northern Italian red wines. It should be slightly chilled and enjoyed with lighter fare or simply as a refreshing fruity wine on a warm afternoon. Wines labelled as Valpolicella Classico come from the original Valpolicella zone. To be labelled as Valpolicella Superiore, the wine must be aged a minimum of one year in wood and have a minimum alcohol level of 12%

Ripasso - This style is just a bigger version of Valpolicella. It gains it added flavor because it is produced using the Ripasso method of wine making. It starts with the basics used in making the Valpolicella wine, but adds a second fermentation that takes advantage of the pomace - the leftover grape skins that remain after the grapes are pressed for the Amarone and Recioto styles that are described below. By doing this second fermentation with the dried pomace, this style of wine has raisin-like notes that give it a fuller, richer flavor.

Amarone - Amarone may translate to “big bitter” but don’t let that fool you. This style has concentrated flavors of dark fruit and raisins. This is achieved by drying the grapes on mats, racks (see photo) or hanging them from rafters for extended periods (weeks or months) after harvest. Known as the appassimento process, the dried fruit concentrates the flavors and sugars. The result is a wine with big flavor and alcohol levels that can reach up to 17% ABV.

Recioto - This is a dessert wine made from dried grapes. Similar to the process for used for Amarone, this fruit is dried for up to 200 days. This further concentrates the flavors and sugars. The dried grapes are then used to produce this wine but the fermentation is halted before all of the sugar is converted to alcohol. This results in a very sweet wine that still retains its natural acidity.

Behind the Cork™ - Scaia Garganega / Chardonnay

2019 Scaia Garganega / Chardonnay ($14)

The Scaia project was launched by Tenauta Sant’Antonio in 2006 with the aim of creating wines with a modern style outside the restrictions by Italy’s denomination system. In Veneto dialect, the word “scaia” means a chip of stone, chalk, limestone. So, their name is a tribute to their soil, where a line of unique young wines is produced.

The vineyards for this wine are located in the eastern part of the Valpolicella region, near the Soave region - both of which are in the north-eastern part of Italy.

The wine is produced from 55% Garganega (gar-gah-neh-gah) and 45% Chardonnay. Garganega is best known as the white grape variety used to make Soave and Gambellara in Italy’s Veneto region.

Post-fermentation this wine received batonnage once a week under cold stabilization until it was bottled. It was aged in stainless-steel tanks to preserve it bright fruit flavors, did not undergo Malolactic conversion and spent three months in the bottle before going to market.

This Scaia Garganega/Chardonnay is pale gold in color and has aromas of bright, fresh fruits including yellow apple, tangerine and hints of green herbs. On the palate, the bright fruit flavors of the Garganega shine brightly yet are moderated by the Chardonnay. There are flavors of lemon zest, grapefruit, pineapple and good acidity on the finish with just a touch of saline.

This wine from Scaia is a great value for a tasty wine which is the perfect fit for a Behind the Cork™ wine of week. Chill this one to 50 degrees F and enjoy! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Katherine Jarvis, The Jarvis Communication Team