Ep. 1922 Lambrusco Family, Malvasia Group by Julianne Farricker | Italian Grape Geek

The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian winegeeks around the world. Support the show by donating at italian wine podcast dot com. Donate five or more Euros, and we'll send you a copy of our latest book, my Italian Great Geek journal. Absolutely free. To get your free copy of my Italian GreatGeek journal, click support us at italian wine podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pods. Welcome to the Italian Great Geek Podcast. Join us as we explore personal stories of travel and tasting with Italy's must know grape varietals. Chart your own course with my Italian Great Geek journal, your personal tasting companion to accompany the series. Available now on Amazon with thanks to Clangelo and Partners for their generous support with this project. Welcome back, Ben Tonati. Now we're moving on to Lambrusco. So traditionally Lambrusco is a brightly colored grape variety used to make sparkling red wines in Emilia Romania. The first record of cultivation dates back to the tenth century, but today, Lambrusco is synonymous with a variety of fruity lighthearted sparkling reds throughout Central Northern Italy from a wide range of varieties. So again, as we had talked about Colerino and then Greco, we're dealing with a family of Limbrusco grapes. What's interesting to note in comparison to Clerino and Greco, is that with Lambrusco, each particular one showcases a different type of profile to remember. So as a wine student, really understanding that each Lambrusco has its own trademark is something important to remember. So we're going to talk about that now. And when we're thinking about the main Lambrusco grapes, so my personal favorite would be but then there's also Maestri Salamino de Sorta. And so again, just to reiterate, the name came to represent not just grape varieties, but also wine styles made from these varieties. Lambrusco and its eponymous wine have a high profile in the early twenty first century. This was largely the result of mass production for major markets in the nineteen eighties, particularly the United States and Northern Europe. So most would remember especially living in the United States, going to the supermarket or a local wine shop, and Nebraska was seen as something very sweet and very, you know, maybe inexpensive. It could be five dollars, ten dollars a bottle max, and they'll bottles were usually rather large because they were sold in this type of mass style. What's important to note about Lambrusco as an Italian wine student is that not all Lambrusco. Would be considered that. So you have to think about all of the producers in the Amelia Romagna region, then wine itself had gotten that type of, I guess, personality, reputation is just something very, very sweet And then we have producers in Emilio Romagna who are still trying to let wine drinkers know, hey, this wine, it's not just something sweet that you would serve. It's something that, you know, you could have dry wines as well. So I'm going to talk about that more. So today, most wines bearing the Lambrusco name are made in bulk, and they go through their secondary fermentation in large steel tanks. So this is known as the Monteinotti method or Sherman method. And something to keep in mind is that before this, historically, many of Lambrusco wines were made in Mexico class to go a traditional method, but that was a really complicated process for producers, which is why they're doing it more now with the Montino t Sharpmont method. And the popularity of Lambrusco grew so rapidly in the nineteen eighties that it was the only way of producing the required volumes quickly enough, and then, of course, in a cheaper way to keep the wines affordable. So the pigment of Lambrusco grapes creates an alluring ruby red in wines. And when we talk about the specific ones, I'll add some more details. And when allowed to reach full phenolic brightness, they can result in a wine as intensely perfumed as it is colored. So we, again, think about the individual members of the Lambrusco wine family. The most important one would probably be Lambrusco di sorbada. This is the one that's lightest in body and color. So make sure you take that in your notes. And it's also the most floral and fragrant. So sometimes it can be referred to as lampusco della viola due to its intense violet scent with flavors of red currants and strawberries. It ripens earlier and prefers sandy soil and is mainly grown in the province of Moldana. So something else to do while you're studying is to have maybe a map of amelia Romagna. So Moldana is more on the western side in the Amelia part of the region. And the sorbada grape is also important because it needs a pollinator, and that's where Limbrisco Salamino comes in. But this particular version of Limbrisco possesses high acid while being lighter bodied. And the wine styles, again, not all Lambrusco will be sweet. So we can have one that is seco, so a dry, or you can have a dolce, which is sweet, And sometimes, this one will really be showcased as it sparkly rosato wine. And if you're going to look for them specifically, you're going to be thinking about Labrusco di Sorevara, DOC, Modena, DOC, Irggiano, DOC. So, again, we're sticking more towards the moldena part of Amelia Romagna on the western side, but some of our main producers would be Cabicioli and Platochiari for Lambrusco Risorubata. Now as we continue, another Lambrusco would be Lambrusco de grasparosa. So also known affectionately as Lambrusco de Castal Betro. This particular one is always grown on the higher quality hillsides. Again, geographically, between modena and Malonia. So now we're moving to the south and the east a little bit, and it does best in clay soils. This wine has a distinct color of deep purple and and while not as aromatic, which I can attest to this. I'll talk about that in a moment. It has aromas of almond with flavors of red ripe grapes and dark plum. As a trademark, it will be very creamy with a very thick and rich flesh. And again, Not necessarily always dolce. You can find one that is seco or dry wine, and you can find it in the de novo nazione origina controlata of Lambrusco, gras perosa, the Castel Betro, DOC. And, of course, are IGT or IGP Emilia. Now when I think about Limbrusco De Gras perosa, I tend to enjoy the Amelia Romagna region as a whole. I love traveling to a particular area that is the Casa Latro de Maldina area. Beautiful hillsides, when I think of a postcard of Italy, this is what I imagine. There's a particular producer, operator Zera Luz. And has perfect site of really enjoying that postcard of Amelia Omania and walking among the vines of Casparosa because you will see especially in the fall, you'll see the the leaves and it's such a beautiful picture. And something to keep in mind is that, it's really we're sticking to, like, a really small location in Amelia Romagna. And that's why with this one, if we're looking for particular producers, you're not going to find that many, but is a perfect example, which is more on the northern part of this and then Ceteghani. So really make sure to try these different Lambrusco styles because as a wine student, it will really make sense to why Lambrusco isn't just your typical sweet wine from the nineteen eighties. But as we continue, because we talked about Sortibara, and then Grasparosa, my personal favorite, we now think about Lambrusco Salamino, You're probably thinking, is that supposed to sound like salami? Yes. Because the reason why is if you think about how the grape looks, it's very abundantly planted, first of all, but it has long cylindrical bunches, So it looks similar to what you were imagining. And it acts as a pollinator for Lambrusco di sorbada, and is considered the best of the Lambruschi wines. It combines the perfume and grace of sorbada, with the structure and power of Grasparosa. It is rather tannic and often blended with Surbada to give flesh and color. So remember that many of the different Lambrusco grapes are complementary to each other for multiple reasons. So salamino is very important in this region. If you're looking for a mono varietal, it does exist. So you're looking at Diiragiano, DOC, Lambrisco salamino, or Lambrisco Salamino, DeSanta Croce deosi from the producers of Lini and medici Eremente. But I would be remiss if I did not mention Lambrisco my s three with its intense purple hue. This is also something to keep in mind that it is the most deeply colored of the Lambruski wines. It's gained traction in the past decades as it's hardier and adaptable, and it's usually described as the fruitiest, creamiest, and grapey. Just imagine as a kid when you were thinking about grape bubble gum, this would be the best indicator for my ACE three. Of course, a grape bubble gum that is much more sophisticated, but it has flavors of dark plum, ripe black cherries, milk chocolate, and candied violets. And it's usually blended again with Limbrusco Salamino, but gives color to Limbrusco di sorvada based wines. So it's important as a student, to remember that we have certain Lambrusco, known for color, or for perfume, or for also for its structure, and understanding that they sometimes will be blended together to make that perfect Lambrusco wine. But when we think about Amelia romagna, we cannot forget about food. Of course, I mentioned that in Compania, but when we think about Lambrusco wines, the high acidity, soft tannins, and low alcohol content, really make it suitable for a wide variety of flavors. It can be served at the beginning of a meal with light appetizers and anti pasty platters of olives, marinated vegetables, cured meats, and soft cheeses, And the high acidity makes it even an ideal pair in produce prosciutso. And because the acid of these wines will cut through the fat of the meat and refresh your palate, but the real star of the show. Would be parmigiano reggiano. At Chacogdoc de Balsamico tortellini and Baroto, I could go on, but think about food and wine pairings. So if it grows with it, it goes with it. Lambrusco is really curtailed to the foods of Amelia romagna. If you want to eat well, you, of course, Compania, of course. But Amelia is really a very gastronomic powerhouse for Italy. And if you've been there, I I assume that you're imagining everything right now that you've eaten there, but really try different types of membrusco while really enjoying all the different flavors. That is why I really enjoy going to Emilia Romagna. For this reason is that I've spent extensive amount of time there. I even actually broke a a leg there once and spent time in the hospital. And even the hospital food was amazing. Because it served the typical dishes of Amelia Romagna, which was just amazing that even in that setting, I was still able to experience the flavors. So something to keep in mind is that Lambrusco is not just the wine from the nineteen eighties that you might remember or you've heard about. You really need to give it a chance to explore all the different varieties. And you could even pair it with pizza, think summer's coming up. A chilled bottle with your favorite pizza, and anything with the tomato base would work well. But the only thing that I would say with that is that because of the Lambrusco, if you're dealing with high heat, so something that might have, like, a a chili type of background, the Lambrusco, it might intensify that heat. It might make it more pronounced. If you're into that, that's great. However, you might not be looking for that flavor. But, yes, Lambrusco, It's not your grandmother's wine. It's something to really try in two thousand twenty four and study. Are you enjoying this podcast? Don't forget to visit our YouTube channel, mama jumbo shrimp. For fascinating videos covering Stevie Kim and her travels across Italy and beyond, meeting winemakers, eating local food, and taking in the scenery. Now, back to the show. Benton Nazi. As we continue our grape family discussion, we've talked about Corarino. We've talked about Lambrusco. We've talked about Greco. And now we're talking about Malvasia. This is one where you'll need extensive notes. Just keep that in mind because Malavasya is found throughout the Mediterranean. And it's a family of white wine grapes with the nation heritage, but there's a plot twist. We'll also talk about some red grapes that have the same name, but many of them are unrelated. This is something to keep in mind. And at least seventeen grapes in Italy, can attest to the fame of Malvasia, and it was the best known wine from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. Thanks to the Venetians who dominated the Mediterranean Sea and traded now to see aligned with tremendous success. But what's important to note is that it's very difficult to find a common trait that unites these wines. As this is a family of grapes that produces white and red wines. So this is the most important thing to note. It's better to group them by regions and think about, again, going back to our geography lesson of locations. So the first one that we'll be talking about is Malvasia Bianca Bicambia, and this is the most widely planted Malvasia in Italy, and it's mainly found in Laccio. So if we're thinking about the grape outside of Rome, It is thought that this grape has origins on the Greek island of crete as its ancient name in Latin, Wisconsin. It's a very productive variety with vigorous rootstocks and in human conditions. It's large. And thin skinned berries are more sensitive to disease and more likely to suffer from, very shatter. Most of your examples will be dry and still, and it's very rare to find monovarietal. Wines made from Malabaci of Bianca Dikandia. However, if you're going to be looking for the blends, the most important would be Frascati, BOC, Castelli Romani, BOC, Canalino Direscati, DOCG, which is actually a sweet wine. And this grape can also be found again geographically. Some grapes will migrate So you can also find it in Tuscany, umbria, and even the market. Moving on to another one with the Malvasia Bianca Lunga. So this claim to fame was because of Petino Ricacoli's original Kianti recipe. And geographically, we're thinking of Tuscany. And it's sometimes there, it will be noted as Malavessia del Kianti or Malavessia munga toscana. Think about Italian vocabulary when we're describing the grape itself, the bunches will be long. So that's where the lunga part is really interesting to remember. And this one is actually It's closely related to Malvasia Estrianna and Malvasia d Lebuddy, which is the grape. We'll talk about the difference later. And then in the vineyard, as I'd mentioned, large, long bunches, and thick skinned berries, yet variation exists among different clones and bio types. Always remember that. You change your soil. You change your location. You change your grape. But the main characteristics to remember would be large and long bunches. But if you were to have it in the glass, it will be aromatic with soft acidity and marked salinity. But it will be a contrast to the high acidity that it's usually blended with Treviano toscano to make a vin santo. And when we're describing the wine itself as a style, of course, a white wine that is still and sweet. So this one is usually used for that vin santo. And it can be blended with San Jolese and Kennayo Nero in earlier versions of county and county classical. So that's the history lesson. However, today, mainly used for Venezuela County classical, DOC and Vincent County DOC as a blend with Trebiano toscano. Moving on, we also have Malvasia Delacio, geographic location, This one is telling you right away, we're dealing with Lachio. So before we had talked about the other Malavacia Bianca Dikambia, but Malavacia de Lachio, the difference is that this one is considered maybe more less desirable because it has very low yields. But in the recent decade, it has been rediscovered as possibly being a higher quality variety. And again, found in Lacio, note here, geography, but it will be referred to also as Malabasya Puntinata, which Puntinata signifying something that's speckled with dots because when the berries are ripe, you'll notice the spots. So something also to do while studying is to even maybe look at actual great pictures. And this one would stand out to you right away. So I'm not able to see a Quintinata for its spots. But it's a cross. So between Sciava Groosa and Moscato de la Sandia, which allows it to have an aromatic character. So in the glass, you'll find notes of sage and ripe citrus fruit, And on the pallet, it will be very creamy with nuances of beeswax and raisin. And late harvest will allow for the Pasito versions due to noble rot. So this is why this one's really interesting. If you can try to find it, I actually found one. I think it was about two years ago. So in twenty twenty two, and it was an enjoyable wine to have. So usually, you'll find it as a dry white wine, but if you can find the sweet versions, really do yourself a favor for that. And we're thinking of the type of, like, the DOPs for this wine would be Frascati, DOC. The sweet one, specifically, Cannelino Difrescati, DOCG, And then, of course, Casselli Romani, doc, with some producers, Casselli Marchez, and Gabrielle Manuel. Because think about it. If you're visiting Rome, which, of course, most people will start their journey, in Rome. If you take a train, for maybe twenty to thirty minutes, you will be in the Casselli Romani region, and you can really visit producers. Of course, you can have your pasta. So let's talk about that. Because when you're in Rome and you're going out to eat, I always try to tell, you know, friends who ask, you know, for recommendations. Stick to wines from where you're visiting so you can really get an idea of the flavors. So the last time I had had, Malobecia de Lazzio, I had I told you a sweet one, but I've also had a dry one before. And that was while I was having, you know, artichokes. Oh, Roman artichokes, I can just fantasize about them. And it was a really good pairing because the artichokes have a special strong flavor, and this wine was able to compliment it very well. So I advise you to get on a plane, go to Rome, get yourself some artichokes and try a glass of this. And continuing though, because we're gonna think about food even more. So going on with Malovesia DeBuddy. So again, thinking about geographical location. So LeeBuddy is when we're describing islands that are north of Sicily, so the Aolian islands, And most of the majority of these plantings you'll find on the island of Salina. So look on a map. You might have to zoom in because sometimes I find that they're left off the map. They're not as, notated, which makes me very sad. Because of course, as I had mentioned, my grandfather was from the island of Stromeli. They're very special islands. Sometimes if you were to look at pictures, you might mistake them for Greek islands because of similar architecture, but they really have a character of their own. It's I would even say different from Sicily specifically. It's just, a more nuanced personality. And, of course, we're thinking of these different islands. They were volcanic now. Thrombley is a very active volcano in itself. It will erupt. They say sometimes even every hour. I've seen it when I would have been visiting, I will be there again this summer. But think about volcanic islands, even if they were dormant now. And then, of course, active volcanoes, the volcanic soils that exist on all of these aeolian islands really contribute to this specific amount of the Seattleia buddy grape, because it's important to note that this grape produces one of Italy's best dessert wines, Mallicia Delle de buddy. So please note. Okay. This is where pesky pronouns come in. If we're talking about the grape, It will be mallebusy at d Lake buddy, d I. But when it's the wine on the label, you will see Delle Lee buddy, because so Delle signifying plural. Because, again, When we're dealing with these islands, they're rather small, but grapes can also be combined from the different islands because each island does have its grape growing potential, but maybe not the wine making potential. So you can have a a beautiful air dried Pasito. I have multiple bottles of this in my home, of course, as an homage to Stromeli and the Aeolian islands. And these examples are richly honeyed, They're notes of orange and apricot and very light bodied and fragrant, but not thick and oily. This is something really important to note. Usually, when you think of a pacita wine, which I adore them all, They're usually very thick and oily, but this one is much lighter, and the orange and apricot notes are perfect for, you guessed it, a canola. Okay? So another thing canola is one canola two. But let's face it for me. It will be canola or three. You never know. But this would be a really perfect compliment for your sicilian style dessert. So the next time you find the canola, when you're visiting Sicily, if you can find a bottle of Malabasía Deli Lipadi, DOC, you'll be in for a treat. There aren't many producers for this. The two that are the main ones would be Halner and Florio and Florio, very synonymous with, Marcella wine on the island of Sicily itself, but they're also involved, with this special wine. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention other white with grapes from the Malabassia family. We have Malabassia istriana, and that's a dry white wine that comes from current day Croatia. Now this is where history comes in. So when we think about istriana, Most people will think about that northeastern part of Italy that borders with Croatia. But we have to think about World War two and then, of course, how borders have changed. So when you even think about Sutti enroll Alto Adi Jay at one point was with Austria. Now it's with Italy. You go to Alto Adi Jay. It's very important to note that you will also hear German spoken there because of its heritage. But think about Israeliana. Many people could have been born in Italy, but then it's current day Croatia. Something that's always important to note when studying Italy is that Italy itself, very young country, And with going if we think about history, we're going back to city states and borders that were constantly changing due to different wars and conflicts. So this is a very interesting one to find. But just note that current day Croatia would be attributed to it as well. And then there's another one called Malovesia Decandi, Adomatika, and it produces wines that are think about it, Adomatika. It's giving you a hint so that there'll be Mildly aromatic, and it'll have tropical fruits. And this one, you'll specifically find in Amelia romagna and parts of Lundardi. But I've mentioned all of the different types of white grapes, but Malvasia will surprise you as there are some that are red grapes. That's why we said before they're not always going to be related, and they're not going to share similar characteristics. So when we're thinking of the red buried Malvasia grapes, The first one is Malvisianera de Brindisi. Again, I know we're thinking of geography. So Malvisianera de Brindisi. So Purindisi is a city in the region of Poria. And it's an this grape, it's a natural crossing between Maugustin and Bianca Luga. Okay. So remember the long bunches and NEGro La model, a very special grape to Puyin wines. It has a lightly aromatic texture and sandy sites really expose its perfume, early ripening and vigorous. It has unstable anthocyanins, and we know how important anthocyanins are. And the color tends to be pale and oxidizes over time. So for me to even mention that, it will probably give you a hint that this one's not going to be monoviriatal most of the time because it's going to have to be blended to actually make a good wine. So it's used as a blending agent. For Sally j Salentino DOC, Cooper Tina DOC, and interestingly, Castillo Diamas County classical Vigna Bella Vista. So this one will also even have a nod in Tuscany. And you're usually looking for blends that have at least ten percent, but it will give notes of blackberry and violet. Now continuing in Pulia, we have another red Malavasia. So this is Malavasia Neda de leche, another important city historically, very important to the Greek civilization of this region. Model variatos will be what rare due to unstable ankle sign. And, again, So we need really good anthocyanins for Marlvarietal wines. But because of that, it is, again, used as a blending partner. So with megadora model and Sally Chasecelentino DOC. So it's really interesting that you'll find both of the Malvasia, the reds from this region as blending agents. But think of your map. Now we're going to go from southeastern Italy from the heel all the way closer to the alps in the western part, closer to France, with Malbasia de Casortso. Again, I know you're probably tired of hearing me mention the preposition d, but geographically, this is telling us the city of Casortso, the area, and that's in Piamonte or Pethon. And this particular red will have a thick skin and rich pulp in geraniol, which is making it very fragrant, very important when we note grapes that have that, It will become very aromatic, and it's a medium wine with aromas of blackberry and jammy blackcurrant with fresh acidity and Tannic mouthfeel, and you will find it mainly listed as casorizo diosti, DOC, So if we're thinking about our red Malvisia wines, we're thinking about pairings. At this point, again, I always try to tell people that stick with your region and what grows with it goes with it. So, of course, if we win cool yeah, would be a typical will be different cuisine than Piamonte specifically. Piamonte, maybe with the good Vitalon. Oh, now I'm imagining this. I'm getting on a plane as soon as I get off I'm finished with this. But then in puglia, I mean, think about, oh, a beautiful piece of okacha with the tomatoes. But the options are endless because, of course, it's up to you as the taster, and, of course, as the listener. If something makes a good combination, then it works for you, that's great. So something to keep in mind as you're studying is to try all of these different, great families, the different wines that we mentioned, remember geographical location, Remember, wine styles can change. They won't necessarily always be the same in the grape families, and just make sure to enhance your palate and really study your Italian wines. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, HMLISM, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. Until next time, teaching.