Lambrusco
Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna in Italy, and yes, sparkling wine can be red too. The label tells you whether the bottle is dry, secco, or on the sweeter side, amabile or dolce.
Wine by type
Lambrusco sits right between the red wine section and sparkling wines. Read more here about its neighbors.
Red wine
From Merlot to Malbec grapes, what oak aging does, and what temperature to serve it at.
About red wine →Prosecco
The white Italian sparkling wine that, like Lambrusco, undergoes its secondary fermentation in a tank.
About Prosecco →
Moscato
Sweet wine made from Muscat grapes, with low alcohol content, for those who enjoy Lambrusco's amabile side.
About Moscato →
Valpolicella
The Italian regional red wine without bubbles, made from Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara.
About Valpolicella →A sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna
Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling red wine, making it one of the few sparkling wines that isn't white or rosé in the glass. It comes from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, especially the areas around Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma. It's made from the blue-skinned Lambrusco grape, which comes in several varieties: Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Grasparossa and Lambrusco Salamino are the names you'll most often see on a label. White and rosé versions also exist, but red is the main style, and that's where the confusion lies: when people think of sparkling wine, they rarely think of cherries, violets and tannins.
The bubbles form during a second fermentation in a sealed tank, using the Charmat method. Yeast converts the sugar into alcohol, and the carbon dioxide released in the process stays in the wine because the tank is sealed. This applies to all sparkling Lambrusco; there is no second fermentation in the bottle, as with Champagne. The amount of sugar left at the end determines the style: secco is dry, while amabile and dolce are sweeter. Lambrusco became popular around the world in the 1970s and 1980s, especially in the United States, but its reputation took a hit from cheap, mass-produced sweet wines. It has since enjoyed a revival, with an emphasis on quality wines.
In brief
Four bottles, from dry to sweet
There isn't a huge selection, and that's fine: these four cover the full range. They're listed in order, from the dry bottle you can serve as a red wine to the slightly sweet bianco.
Vecchia Modena Nero
A red, lightly sparkling wine with plenty of berry and cherry juice flavors, a pleasant bite and delicate bubbles. Dry, making it a good alternative to regular red wine.
Cleto Chiarli
Made from 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara, refreshing and fruity, with notes of blackberries and raspberries. Its gentle bubbles and pleasant tannins make it soft and fruity rather than robust.
Dell'Emilia Amabile Rosso
Lightly sweet, fresh, and lightly sparkling, with 7.5 percent alcohol, it’s also clearly lighter than the two bottles above. This is the soft, fruity side of lambrusco.
Dell'Emilia Amabile Bianco
The white version of the same wine: lightly sweet with gentle bubbles. Round and lightly sweet in flavor, making it the exception in this lineup.
Lambrusco comes in all three colors, but red is the most common. Of the four bottles here, one is white and the rest are red.
Red fruit, fresh acidity, and gentle bubbles
Cherry, strawberry, and violets
Cherry, strawberry, and violets are the classic notes, with blackberry and raspberry in some Sorbara wines. It’s clearly the aroma of red fruit, just with bubbles underneath.
Fresh and lightly sparkling
Lively acidity, a juicy character, and gentle bubbles rather than a sharp fizz. The tannins are there, but they stay restrained, especially compared with a still red wine.
Juicy, sometimes slightly bitter
The red fruit lingers longest, with a slight bitterness on the finish in some bottles. That fresh acidity is exactly what makes the wine work so well with rich, salty food.
Flavor profile of a dry lambrusco. An amabile or dolce scores much higher on sweetness; the acidity and fruit still shine through.
How to drink lambrusco
Lambrusco requires little preparation. The only choice that really matters is on the label: dry or sweet.
Choose secco or amabile first
Secco is the dry style, and you can serve it wherever you’d otherwise pour red wine. Amabile and dolce are sweeter and lighter, so they’re better before a meal or with something sweet. If the label doesn’t say, check the name of the bottle.
The four bottles →With Italian food
Parmesan and prosciutto di Parma come from the same region and are a classic pairing. Lambrusco also works well with antipasti, pizza, pasta Bolognese, and anything with tomato sauce: its fresh acidity cuts through the fat and salt.
More about the taste →Six glasses per bottle
For wine, we use the rule of thumb of six glasses per bottle, which works out well for a 75 cl bottle. Don’t pour too generously, and the bubbles will stay in better shape in the bottle for the second round.
The right glass →Cocktails similar to lambrusco
There are no classic cocktails made with lambrusco; the wine is served on its own. These four come closest: two with still red wine and two with bubbles.
Sangria
Red wine with fruit, orange and ice, served in a large jug on the table.
Tinto de Verano
Red wine topped up with sparkling lemon soda and plenty of ice.
Kir Royal
Crème de cassis at the bottom of the glass, topped up with a bubbly.
Bellini
Peach purée in the glass, then slowly top up with prosecco.The right glass for lambrusco
There’s no one-size-fits-all glass for lambrusco, because the wine has two sides. If you’re after the red fruit notes, choose a roomy wine glass; if you want to preserve the bubbles for as long as possible, a flute with a small opening works better. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about lambrusco
Can’t find your question here? Browse our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →What is lambrusco, and is it really red?
Is Lambrusco sweet or dry?
Where does Lambrusco come from?
How do the bubbles get into Lambrusco?
What percentage alcohol does Lambrusco contain?
Which grape is Lambrusco made from?
How many glasses do you get from a bottle?
Buy Lambrusco
Want the bottle delivered straight to your door? Order Lambrusco online at Gall & Gall.
Lambrusco Vecchia Modena Nero
Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco
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