Lambrusco is an Italian wine made from the red Lambrusco grape, known for its fruity, sparkling, red and dry variety. It has a lower alcohol content and can be red, white or pink. It pairs well with various foods and should be served chilled.
Lambrusco is an Italian wine that has been produced since prehistoric times from the red Lambrusco grape. The wine made from these grapes is best known as a fruity, sparkling, red and dry variety, but many other types of Lambrusco wine have also been developed. Most Lambruscos are grown and bottled in the central-northern provinces of Lombardy and Emilia-Reggiano. Some Australian winemakers have also started producing and exporting the wine.
Among the Italian wine grapes, Lambrusco is one of the oldest. The ancient Etruscans cultivated grapes before the Roman civilization developed. In Roman historical accounts and then Renaissance writings, the grape was prized for producing a heavy crop on long vines. However, the grapes used today have evolved slightly from the vines of earlier times, and history is unclear as to how much today’s wines taste like those made in ancient Rome.
Lambrusco has less effervescence than other sparkling wines, such as Champagne, and some varieties are still rather than sparkling. The wine has a lower alcohol content of 11%, compared to an average alcohol content of 12-14%. The Australian varieties have an even lower alcohol content of 10%.
The wine can be red, white or pink in colour. White varieties have the skins removed from the grapes immediately during processing, grapes for rosé wines retain their skins for part of the fermentation, and grapes for red wine retain their skins throughout the entire process. The dry varieties of the wine are labeled dry, while the semi-sweet varieties are labeled semi-sweet or sweet. These wines are best enjoyed when young, rather than aged for several years.
The fresh and sparkling taste of a Lambrusco often has hints of strawberry, tobacco and violet. Relatively low in tannins, the wine can be a refreshing summer drink free from the slight bitterness and acidity of some reds and roses. Dry red or pink varieties pair well with pork, salmon, sausages, and cured meats, while dry whites enhance the flavor of fish or chicken. Semi-sweet Lambrusco goes perfectly with appetizers and cheeses, desserts or fresh fruit.
Lambrusco wines taste best when chilled to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius) before serving. Some may appreciate chilling a dry white variety to the same temperature as a Champagne or other effervescent wine. Once a bottle is opened, the wine should be drunk immediately or securely corked and finished in a day or two.
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