Cleto Chiarli, 'Vecchia Modena Nero Noir', Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC, Italy, 2023

Overview of the Wine
The story of Lambrusco is closely intertwined with the Chiarli family of Modena, arguably the most important producer of red sparkling wine in the world. The tale begins with Cleto Chiarli, the proprietor of the Modena restaurant Osteria dell’Artigliere in the mid-1800s. As was common for restaurateurs and innkeepers in those days, Chiarli made his own wine to sell at the osteria. Naturally, the wine was made from Lambrusco, the area’s primary grape variety, and it was well-received by customers—so much so that in 1860 Chiarli was emboldened to found Emilia Romagna’s first wine-producing company, the Cantina Cleto Chiarli.

By the turn of the 21st century, the business was in the hands of Cleto Chiarli's great-grandsons Mauro and Anselmo Chiarli, and they decided to move to a new production center that would focus on more or an artisanal, quality-driven style. In 2002, they began building a new facility to produce a higher-end line of Lambrusco wines using carefully selected, estate-grown grapes and state-of-the-art equipment. The new company was named Cleto Chiarli after the founder.

All of the vineyards are certified VIVA under the government's Sustainable Viticulture Program. in 2016 Cleto Chiarli started working with Cantina Sociale di Settecani, in the area of Castelvetro, to select the best grapes from their vineyards that are farmed according to organic viticulture practices, for the production of the first organic certified wine: Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC Organic

Winemakers
Michele Faccin and Filippo Mattioli

Grape / Blend
100% Salamino

Origin
Emilia-Romagna, Italy 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
An ideal combination of both freshness and body, with intense but fresh and round fruitiness. Versatile. Pair with roasts, game and traditional cuisine from Emilia-Romagna. 

90 Points - Vinous
Deep purple in hue, the 2023 Vecchia Modena Nero opens with a bouquet of crushed blackberries, sage and orange sorbet. It’s savory within yet full of energy as vibrant acidity motivates its tart wild berry fruits and violet inner florals toward the close. This leaves chalky mineral tones to linger through the perfumed finale, tapering off with cheek-puckering tension that begs the taster to take another sip. 

Product size: 750ml