Modena is a relatively small city in Northern Italy, not far from Boulogne. Peaceful, warm and friendly (in spite of its rather harsh winters), Modena is internationally well-known as the cradle of Italiansports car industry: brands like Ferrari, Maserati, Pagani and De Tomaso were established, and still have their headquarters, in the city or nearby. Lamborghini is originally from the same area. One of Ferrari's models, the 360 Modena, was even named after the town.
Not only: on a cold winter day of October 1935, the 12th, Modena gave birth to the unforgettable opera singer Luciano Pavarotti.
However, try to ask your Italian friends the word they most associate with Modena, alongside sport cars or opera, and a good share of the interviewees will utter: “Lambrusco”! A red (lightly) sparkling Wine made from the namesake grape, Lambrusco. There are actually multiple variables of Lambrusco, all originating from the region of Emilia-Romagna, where Modena is located. Since 1970, only four of them are officially recognized by the Italian State and subject to strict production requirements: Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro and Lambrusco di Modena (the latter from 2009).
The Consorzio Marchio Storico dei Lambruschi Modenesi promotes Lambrusco globally and controls that production requirements are met by the local wineries.
“Lambrusco unites the traditional elegance of sparkling winewith the passion and luxuriousness of red, its color” says Ermi Bagni, Chairman of the association. “That is why Lambrusco is becoming so popular in Europe and the U.S.: it is a wine appealing to different tastes”.
A renowned Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC needing to be mentioned is Vigna Ca' del Fiore by Manicardi.
The founder, Enzo Manicardi, established the estate on the hills of Castelvetro some 30 years ago. Enzo had the intuition of picking one of the most favorable areas for wine production in the Emilia Romagna region: an amazing landscape, framed by woods and vineyards. Over the years, his descendants have taken ownership of the estate without fail.
The perfume of Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC Vigna Ca' del Fiore is really fresh, with scents of berries and cherry. In the mouth, it appears dry and crispy, quite full-bodied and salty, with a pleasant comeback of the fruit scents first perceived in the nose.
Available on the online store Libiamo, this wine gives its best with boiled, roasted or grilled meats, particularly with pork. It should be cooled a bit. Serve it with your friends at an outdoor barbeque to celebrate the blooming Spring: Libiamo!
