Lambrusco di Sorbara: an In-Depth Wine Profile

1. What is Lambrusco di Sorbara?

Lambrusco di Sorbara is the most prestigious and refined member of the Lambrusco wine family, a group of wines native to the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. Unlike its deeper-colored cousins, Lambrusco di Sorbara produces wines with a distinctive light ruby to rosé hue, higher acidity, and pronounced floral aromas reminiscent of violets. It is also the lightest and most floral of the Lambrusco wines, making it a standout choice for those seeking elegance and delicacy.

This red wine derives its name from the village of Sorbara, located north of Modena in the alluvial plains between the Secchia and Panaro rivers. This geographical distinction is crucial, as Lambrusco di Sorbara received its DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) status in 1970, cementing its place among Italy's quality wines.

Historically, Lambrusco grapes trace their lineage back to Vitis Labrusca, wild vines that grew in the Apennine mountains. Roman writers mentioned these wines, and medieval ampelographers documented their cultivation. However, it was in the Modena province that Lambrusco di Sorbara found its true home, where it has been cultivated for centuries as a monovarietal wine despite its relatively modest yields.

What makes Lambrusco di Sorbara truly unique is its unusual flowering characteristic. Unlike most cultivated grapes, it exhibits a physiological behaviour similar to wild vines (Vitis vinifera silvestris), functioning essentially as a female plant. The grape is characterized by the phenomenon of floral abortion, which results from a flowering anomaly that causes significant product loss (production losses can exceed 2/3 of the harvest). It is now understood that this phenomenon is primarily caused by pollen sterility. Thus the plant requires cross-pollination from another Lambrusco variety (typically Lambrusco Salamino) to produce fruit, leading to clusters with uneven berry sizes and ripening times due to millerandage or irregular fruit set. This quirk of nature results in lower yields but more concentrated flavours. This is a classic trade-off of quantity for quality.

Fun fact: Most Lambrusco wines come from Emilia Romagna, but Lambrusco Mantovano DOC wines hail from Lombardy, around the beautiful city of Mantova, showcasing black fruit aromas and a medium-bodied profile with high acidity.

Grape Varieties Used for Lambrusco Wines

Besides Lambrusco di Sorbara, the Lambrusco family is composed of different grape varieties, each bringing something unique to the table. Below is an overview of all the Lambrusco varieties that are part of the family:

• Lambrusco Salamino: The most widely planted Lambrusco grape, Salamino is named for its compact, salami-shaped bunches. It produces deeply colored wines with vibrant acidity and aromas of tart plum and red fruits. Salamino-based wines are fresh, vinous, and versatile, often forming the backbone of many classic Lambrusco blends.
• Lambrusco Grasparossa: Grasparossa stands out for its inky purple hue, robust body, and higher tannin content. Grown primarily in the hills around Castelvetro, it delivers wines with pronounced black cherry, plum, and violet notes, as well as a fuller structure, making it an ideal match for hearty local dishes.
• Lambrusco Maestri: Native to the Parma area, and produced within the Lambrusco Maestri DOC, Maestri is valued for its rich colour and soft, fruity profile. It brings flavours of raspberry, cherry, and blackberry, often adding roundness and a gentle rusticity to blends.
• Lambrusco Marani: Another important variety in Reggio Emilia, Marani is appreciated for its ability to provide colour and a gentle fruitiness. It is typically blended with other Lambrusco grapes to enhance the wine’s vibrancy and aromatic profile.
• Lambrusco Montericco: Less common but still part of the core Lambrusco group, Montericco brings additional freshness and subtle fruit notes to blends. It is mainly cultivated in specific areas of Emilia and is often used to complement the more dominant varieties.
• Other Blending Grapes: To enhance colour, fruit, or structure, winemakers sometimes blend in small amounts (up to 15%) of other varieties, such as Ancellotta (for deep colour and sugar), Malbo Gentile (for fruitiness and body), Marzemino, or even Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaking Process

The production of Lambrusco di Sorbara involves several distinct methods that reflect both tradition and innovation in sparkling winemaking. Each approach yields different expressions of this versatile grape variety.

Fermentation Methods

Lambrusco di Sorbara can be made using three primary methods:

1. Charmat/Martinotti Method: The most common production technique, similar to Prosecco, involves creating a still base wine that undergoes secondary fermentation in pressurized stainless steel tanks. This method preserves vibrant primary fruit flavours and allows for large-scale production at accessible price points.
2. Traditional Method (Metodo Classico): Some premium producers create Lambrusco di Sorbara using the same method employed for Champagne, with secondary fermentation occurring in the bottle. These wines often age on the lees for extended periods, from 24-30 months at Cantina Settecani to an impressive seven and a half years at Cantina della Volta. This approach yields more complex wines with bready, yeasty notes complementing the fruit character.
3. Ancestral Method (Metodo Ancestrale/Pet-Nat): A growing trend involves bottling partially fermented wine that completes its fermentation in the bottle, capturing natural CO2 without disgorgement. Alessandro Medici's "Phermento" exemplifies this style, which showcases the grape's natural character with zero dosage and a frizzante level of carbonation (2.5 bars of pressure).

Production Requirements

According to the DOC regulations, Lambrusco di Sorbara must contain a minimum of 60% Lambrusco di Sorbara grapes, with up to 40% Lambrusco Salamino permitted. This cross-planting serves both practical purposes (pollination) and adds complexity to the final wine. The wines must come from designated areas in the province of Modena, including Bastiglia, Bomporto, Nonantola, Ravarino, San Prospero, and parts of other municipalities.

The winemaking process often involves careful handling of grapes in small cases (17 kg maximum) to prevent crushing during transportation. Premium producers like Cantina della Volta conduct manual harvesting, gentle pressing, and temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks, followed by extended maturation periods before the secondary fermentation.

Sensory Profile

Lambrusco di Sorbara presents a distinctive sensory experience that sets it apart from other sparkling red wines.

• Appearance: The wine exhibits a pale ruby to coral-pink colour with violet reflections, much lighter than other Lambrusco varieties. Its effervescence is lively but ephemeral, creating a transient foam that quickly dissipates.
• Aroma: The nose is intensely aromatic and pleasant, with characteristic violet notes serving as the signature scent. Additional aromas include red fruits like wild strawberry, cranberry, raspberry, and redcurrant. Premium examples may develop more complex bouquets with notes of dried rosé, peony, undergrowth, myrtle, and even hints of cinnamon.
• Taste: On the palate, Lambrusco di Sorbara delivers remarkable freshness with vibrant acidity (often 7.5-9 g/L). The body is typically light to medium, with a delicate structure compared to other Lambrusco varieties. The tannic presence is subtle and well-integrated. Flavour intensity varies from producer to producer, but typical notes include tart red fruits, floral undertones, and a characteristic sapidity that creates a mouthwatering effect.
• Styles: Lambrusco di Sorbara comes in a spectrum of styles:
  • Secco (Dry): With minimal residual sugar, showcasing the grape's natural acidity and delicate fruit character. The best versions of Lambrusco di Sorbara are in this dry and refreshing style.
  • Amabile (Off-dry): With some residual sweetness that balances the high acidity.
  • Dolce (Sweet): Though less common for Sorbara than other Lambrusco varieties.
  • Frizzante Style: Lightly sparkling, with lower pressure than spumante versions.
  • Spumante Style: Fully sparkling, often made in brut nature (zero dosage) to extra dry styles.
  Modern producers have been moving toward drier styles to showcase the grape's natural characteristics better and to pair with the regional cuisine.

Fun Fact: Most Lambrusco wines are actually dry, absolutely fantastic, high quality wines. However, Lambrusco still has a long way to go to change consumers' perception of being a "sickly sweet", spankingly wine. Blame its tarnished reputation on the wine boom of the 1970s.