Zanasi, Lambrusco di Sorbara Tradizione DOP, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, 2022

Overview of the Wine
More than 100 years of passion and experience have driven the family to produce wine for four generations. Everything began in 1883 with the birth of Luigi Zanasi, a servant and worker on the grounds of the great landowners of that time. In 1900, besides working the fields, he also dabbled in the production of wine, transforming his small farm house into a humble winery with 8 small wooden barrels with about 50 HL of wine, that he distributed to the inns in the neighboring towns with just a small cart pulled by his hors

Passion and experience: these are the characteristics that for four generations have guided Zanasi family’s wine making production in the heart of the Lambrusco Grasparossa in Castelvetro D.O.P. territory.

The Winery produces its wines following the tradition based on authenticity and simplicity, bringing to the table all of the genuine flavor of a generous and ancient land.

Grape / Blend
Sorbara

Origin
Emilia-Romagna, Italy 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
This sparkling wine from grapes Sorbara, is a rosé wine with intense, fine and persistent perlage, brilliant and crystalline. In the glass, the foam is lively and evanescent. At the nose it appears quite complex, with fruity hints, with an acidity that adds to the basic grape tones the taste-aromatic tones of red berry fruit, bilberries, raspberries; unique floral with hints of pink and purple, typical and winy. One can feel the grapes freshly pressed in the cellar. Dry lively taste, sapid, which gives a lasting sensation of freshness and balance; with great persistence and harmony. A modern wine, a wine-fruit of excellent consistency and admirable persuasiveness, its ease of drinking enveloping, with clear oenologic integrity. It is excellent as an aperitif, it is an excellent pairing to all the starters, first courses, meats and medium-aged cheeses.

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.

Product size: 750ml