Zanasi

Lambrusco di Sorbara 2024

Name: Lambrusco di Sorbara 2024
Brand: Zanasi
SKU: ZANASIsorbara24
Price: 23.0 USD
Availability: InStock

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What is good wine for? The point of good wine is to be delicious, and to make food taste good. So these two Lambruscos from Marco Uccellari at Zanasi are perfect wines; they are delicious, and they make all kinds of food taste good, from pizza to some of the famous specialties from around Modena, where they are made, such as Prosciutto di Parma. Or ‘gnoccho fritto,’ or indeed slices of Parma ham laid over hot gnoccho fritto so they kind of melt together. Or fresh pasta with ragù Bolognese and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese (also local). Once you try any of these combinations you wonder why other places haven’t tried to make sparkling red wines like this, fruity yet savory; it’s so good, why isn’t everyone doing it?

Zanasi is a small estate, about 55 acres of vineyards, just south of Modena. Some of the vines are cultivated organically (and are so certified), others by Integrated Pest Management*; yields are low, in order to ensure good concentration of aroma and flavor. Winemaking is relatively straightforward: ‘We work the wine as little as possible, in order to preserve the color and the fruit perfume that the grapes give us.’

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This variety of Lambrusco is distinguished by relatively pale pinkish red color, and an appetizing aroma and flavor of red berries and violets (Ian d’Agata says that it’s sometimes called Lambrusco di Viola for this reason; check his excellent book for information about the different varieties of Lambrusco). This example is made entirely of Lambrusco di Sorbara, grown just north of Modena; the vines were planted in 2005. The altitude is less than 100 feet above sea level; the soil is a mixture of sand and clay. The grapes are normally picked in mid-September, pressed immediately, then fermented all the way from juice to sparkling wine in a single fermentation, using native yeasts; this takes about a month, at low temperature. (Special reinforced tanks are used, to withstand the pressure of the CO2.) After several months on the lees, the wine is filtered (but not fined) and bottled, with a small amount of residual sulfites. Less than 2,000 cases are made annually.

This Lambrusco is bright pink in color with red and violet glints, with abundant bubbles when freshly poured, and extremely appetizing to look at. Marco describes it as ‘Young and fresh, with aromas and flavors of strawberry, violets, and rosemary.’ A hint of bitterness balances the fruitiness on the palate, making this irresistibly drinkable and excellent with a wide range of dishes, including pizza, fresh pasta with ragù Bolognese, and all kinds of salumi. I bet this would make amazing spritzes, too.

Note that we import this wine in regular shipments as it’s fermented, and try to sell it within six months of the fermentation. Wines made by this method are much better when drunk fresh.

- Oliver McCrum Wines & Spirits

Lambrusco di Sorbara 2024

Lambrusco di Sorbara 2024

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