I was looking for something interesting to serve friends with some charcuterie, and realized I had a few bottles of Lambrusco hanging around, so decided to put them to work.  The wine that is, not the friends. 

Lambrusco is both the name of the grape and the wine – and it comes from Italy’s north central Emilia-Romagna region.

There are 4 types of Lambrusco, mainly produced in 3 provinces – Lambrusco di Sorbara (generally agreed to be the best version and made dry in the traditional method), Grasparosssa del Castelvetro, Salamino di Santa Croce, and the Lambrusco Reggiano which is usually served amabile or sweet.

This one happens to be dry, but fruity, and is a beautiful deep purple with aromas of black cherry and ripe plum, dried roses, and dried herb.

The palate echoes the nose with violets, roses, more black cherry, dried thyme, and tarragon.  The frizzante mousse, great acidity, and light tannins love all sorts of food and it’s easily pairable with many dishes.

If you’re looking for something new to try but don’t want to break the bank, pick up a bottle.  It’s the best deal around, and so much fun to drink.  You can find it in the sparkling wine section of any liquor store.